Tigerstar's Redemption
by Prin Pardus
Summary: StarClan has trusted Tigerstar to be reborn, without any memories of his old life. But when his past lives create a scheme not even StarClan knows of, what path will Tigerkit choose? Ambition, or loyalty?
1. Alliances

**Author's Note: This is very important.**

**This is NOT the ThunderClan that Tigerclaw/star was originally born in. Years have passed since Tigerclaw originally died. So even though some characters seem the same (Lionkit is an example) they are not the same cats. Understand? Great!**

**Updated recently; changed a few descriptions/names around, and added descriptions to all the non-ThunderClan cats that have appeared thus far. *huggles Blackheart plushie***

**Updated again as of January 28.  
**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**

Brightstar - white she-cat, sister to Snowflight

**Deputy**

Duskclaw - black tom with amber eyes

**Medicine Cat**

Batpaw - black tom with one white paw

**Warriors**

Viperfang - Large gray tom, yellow eyes.

Snowflight - Swift white tom with amber eyes

Lightcloud – golden tabby with a white stomach and paws, golden eyes

Patchpelt - Black and white tom with amber eyes

Firestorm - large ginger tom with green eyes

Fawndapple – Dappled golden she-cat with gentle gold eyes

Dapplefur – Dappled tabby with sharp green eyes

Badgerstripe – Black and white tom with amber eyes

Birchpelt – Pale gray tom with amber eyes

Blackstream – black she-cat

Foxfire - Ginger she-cat with green eyes

Tigerstripe - Dark tabby tom, amber eyes

Lionstorm - strong golden tabby tom with golden eyes

Whitefeather - gentle white she-cat with golden eyes

**Apprentices**

None

**Queens & Kits**

Silvermist – Silver tabby, blue eyes, ex-RiverClan cat

Stormkit – Dark gray tom, named after father, Stormheart

Creek-kit – Silver tabby, named after Creekstar, former RiverClan leader and Silvermist's sister

**RiverClan**

**Leader**

Streamstar – gray she-cat with white feet

**Deputy**

Nightpool – Black she-cat

**Medicine Cat**

Goldencloud

**Warriors**

Graystream – gray she-cat

Raindapple – gray tabby she-cat

Splashpelt – Tortoiseshell

**Apprentices**

Puddlepaw – Dark gray tom

Lakepaw – Pale gray tom

Mistypaw – Pale gray she-cat

**Queens / Kits**

Minnowkit - gray she-cat splashed with white

Swiftkit - white she-cat splashed with gray

**WindClan**

**Leader**

Swiftstar - gray and white tom

**Deputy**

Longwhisker

**Medicine Cat**

Finchpaw

**Warriors**

Falconclaw – tabby tom

Hawktalon

**Queens / Kits**

Fernfrost – white and gray she-cat

**Apprentices**

Harepaw

Rabbitpaw

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**

Darkstar – black tom

**Deputy**

Blackheart – Black she-cat with bright amber eyes

**Medicine Cat**

Shadefur - black she-cat with white chest

**Warriors**

Fogwind – gray she-cat with green eyes

Hailstorm – white tom with blue eyes

Larksong – tabby she-cat

**Apprentices **

Rosepaw

Thornpaw

**Rogues/Loners**

Gingerpaw - ginger she-cat with golden eyes, ex-ThunderClan cat


	2. Prologue

**Quick AN: I don't own the series Warriors, Erin Hunter does, as well as Tigerstar, Firestar, Brambleclaw, etc. All other characters and plot are owned by me.**

Prologue

_ He was floating, floating somewhere, somewhere nice and warm...somewhere safe. There was a dull pounding nearby; his mother's heartbeat. He was relaxing, simply suspended, not needing to think or worry. He didn't know what those were, yet. His mother's sides rose and fell evenly, until...._

_ Suddenly, his mother's sides rose up and down more quickly, and her heart thudded frantically. The kit suddenly realized that is was time, although he didn't know what for._

_ The rest was a blur, a blur of his mother's speeding heartbeat, and the pressure building around him, forcing him outward. And then_

_ Light._

_ He felt the cool earth touch his paws, felt his mother's rasping tongue lick his fur, struggling to get him to respond. He let out a mewl, feeling hunger's rumble. She tucked him in closer to her, and he sought her belly blindly, latching on to suckle. Her milk flooded his body, flooded him with strength. _

_ A voice whispered to him, somehow. Not his mother's, not even a real voice; he was too young to truly hear. It was a voice in his head, whispering something to him. He didn't understand it, but he could still hear the words...._

_ "Alive, again. It begins."_


	3. Chapter 1: Waking Up

Chapter 1

Rough prodding forced him to wake. He blinked slowly, yawning, and his amber gaze found the culprit that had disturbed him; the ginger kit known as Foxkit. She grinned at him playfully, and then poked his side again before springing away from him. Foxkit was two moons older than he was; she was almost six moons old now, and would soon become an apprentice and leave the nursery. He would miss her.

"Come on, Tigerkit!" Foxkit exclaimed. "Play with me! We don't have very long before I leave, remember?"

Tigerkit nodded mutely. His dreams hadn't been very good anyway; he couldn't quite remember them now, but there had been strange things, cries and battles and blood. Unpleasant things for a kit to think of.

Tigerkit yawned, and acted as if he was going back to sleep. He pretended to close his eyes, but left them open just a crack, watching Foxkit closely. She let out a low growl and crept forward, probably to poke him again. Just as she reached her paw out, he sprang forward, catching her by surprise. He landed on her squarely, and pinned her down. Foxkit let otu an angry squeak, and kicked at him. They grappled for a minute. Foxkit was older, but Tigerkit was stronger. His mother said that was because of his father; she often spoke of how his father had been one of the strongest cats in the forest, before he died in a clash with ShadowClan.

Foxkit wiggled in Tigerkit's grip. "Let me go, you furball!" she demanded.

"Promise not to wake me up again?" Tigerkit asked. Foxkit growled, and then went limp in his claws. Assured of his victory, Tigerkit relented. Then, without warning, Foxkit sprang up and lunged forward, pinning Tigerkit down. He let out a squeak of surprise, and she grinned down at him.

"Weren't expecting that trick, were you?" she purred, before letting him back up. Tigerkit licked his ruffled fur back into place.

"No," he said honestly. "Where did you learn that?"

Foxkit shrugged. "I just came up with it," she said simply.

"Can you guys be quiet, please?" Foxkit's sister whined. "I'm trying to sleep. It's early!"

Foxkit rolled her eyes, and batted her sister's nose. "Oh hush, Gingerkit! You sleep half the day away as it is." She turned back to Tigerkit. "Come on, let's explore the camp!"

Tigerkit glanced at his sleeping mother unsurely. "Dapplefur says I'm not supposed to go out without her," he said.

Foxkit rolled her eyes. "She's just worried because you're her only kit," Foxkit mewed. "Come on, it's just camp. What's the worse that can happen?"

"No," Tigerkit decided, lying down, "I'll get in trouble if I go. Go ahead, Foxkit."

Foxkit frowned, and she hesitated, clearly deciding whether to leave or stay. Then, another kit stood. This one was the only other male kit, a golden tabby. He smiled at Foxkit.

"I'll go with you," he purred, flicking his tail. He was one moon older than Tigerkit, making Tigerkit the youngest in the nursery.

Foxkit looked pleased. "Excellent!" she purred, and dashed out of the nursery, with Lionkit on her heels. Tigerkit watched them go, feeling something strange. _I should have gone, _he thought. _They're going to have all the fun without me. _

Behind him, Dapplefur stirred. "Mom?" Tigerkit asked, turning to her. "Can I explore camp with Foxkit and Lionkit?"

Dapplefur opened her eyes sleepily. "Come here, honey," she purred, and moved Tigerkit closer to her with her paw. "Drink, darling. You're looking thin."

"Mom!" Tigerkit exclaimed, struggling in her grasp. "Can I go? Please?"

"Drink," Dapplefur said sternly. Tigerkit grumbled under his breath, but did what she said. Even his mother's milk didn't make him feel better. But, by the time he was finished, he was full and reluctant to move. He thought again of Foxkit and Lionkit, and struggled to his paws, but the darkness of the morning and the milk were too much for him. He laid back down, and Dapplefur pulled him close as Tigerkit fell asleep once more.


	4. Chapter 2: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

2

By the time Tigerkit awoke, it was already past sunhigh. Foxkit and Lionkit were talking to each other with much excitement. Tigerkit felt a pang of lonliness. Soon, Foxkit would be gone. He wasn't very good friends with the arrogant Lionkit, or Whitekit, Lionkit's sister. He didn't know either of them very well at all.

Tigerkit let out a quiet sigh, causing Dapplefur to shift slightly.

"What's wrong, darling?" she mewed. Tigerkit looked at his paws.

"Foxkit's going to be gone soon, and I didn't even get to play with her," he said grumpily. "It's _your _fault!"

Dapplefur blinked in surprise. "Oh, yes, that's what you were aking to do. Darling, I don't want you to run off with hte other kits without me. It's dangerous."

"Foxkit says you only worry about me so much because I'm your only kit," Tigerkit grumbled. "I wish I had a brother. Or a sister."

Dapplefur's eyes softened. "Maybe she's right," she sighed quietly. "You were the only one in my entire litter, you know. Usually there are others that die, but not with you. You're the only kit I had." She licked his head. "We could go together if you like, right now."

Tigerkit shook his head. "I don't want to now."

Dapplefur rolled her eyes. "Why ever not?"

_Because I don't want to with you! Just leave me alone!_ Tigerkit thought angrily. _I'm not some stupid baby! I'm not some senseless kit that you can control! I'm me, I'm my own cat. I've never been anyone else, and I never will be, despite you trying to mold me._

He said none of this; it would only get him in trouble to state his feelings in this screwed up world. He simply padded to the nursery entrance and gazed out of it longingly. He could see Foxkit and Lionkit playing together, tumbling and laughing. He let out a quiet sigh, and his head drooped. He glanced over his shoulder. Dapplefur's eyes were closed, as usual. Resentment flared within him again. When she was awake, she wouldn't let him do anything, and when she was asleep, he wasn't allowed to leave.

He heard Foxkit yelp, and turned quickly, seeing Lionkit biting her. Without hesitating, Tigerkit bolted forward, running straight into Lionkit and knocking him off of the ginger kit.

"What are you doing?" Lionkit spat.

"What are _you _doing?" Tigerkit demanded, getting back to his paws.

"We were playing, Tigerkit!" Foxkit said, causing Tigerkit to turn to her.

"But...he bit you," Tigerkit said, confused. "And you yelped.

"I was pretending, furball! I was being a ShadowClan warrior, and he was being a ThunderClan warrior."

"Oh," Tigerkit said, and his ears flattened with embarassment.

"What kind of stupid kit can't even play?" Lionkit asked, before turning away in disgust. "Come on, Foxkit. Let's play somewhere else." He padded away.

Tigerkit shot Foxkit a pleading glance. "I thought you were hurt," he said in a small voice. "I was trying to protect you."

Foxkit's green eyes softened slightly. "Yeah, well, thanks I guess," she said, and glanced at Lionkit, who flicked his tail at her impatiently. Tigerkit looked at his paws.

"You finally got into camp, though," Foxkit said, trying to be cheerful.

"Yeah, Dapplefur is asleep," Tigerkit said. "So, do you want to—" he was cut off by his mother's voice.

"Tigerkit!" she shouted. "Tigerkit, where are you?"

Tigerkit's eyes widened. "She wasn't asleep!"

Dapplefur appeared in the nursery entrance, looking frantic. "Tigerkit!" she yowled, before her eyes finally found him. "Tigerkit! What are you doing out there? You're too young to roam the camp alone! Come here, right now!"

Tigerkit's face flushed under his dark fur. He heard Lionkit laughing.

"Run on, Tigerkit!" Lionkit jeered. "Run to your mommy, Sillykit!"

Tigerkit turned to Lionkit with a growl, but Foxkit stopped him.

"He's just kidding, really," Foxkit said. "Hurry back to the nursery. Your mother looks really angry."

With that, she trotted towards Lionkit, her tail held high. Tigerkit wanted so desperately to follow her, to join the others in play. But another shout from his mother sent him scurrying back to the nursery.


	5. Chapter 3: Rumors

3

Tigerkit hung his head as his mother chewed him out, complaining about how he never listened to her and always put himself in danger. Inside he was fuming, but it wouldn't matter to his mother how he felt. All she wanted was his safety, and she was perfectly willing to sacrifice his happiness for it.

It ended up that Tigerkit was confined to the nursery for half a moon. _Not that I ever leave it anyway, _Tigerkit thought, but he pretended that it was very strict and harsh so Dapplefur wouldn't do something worse.

Lionkit and Foxkit returned to the nursery around dusk. Foxkit looked almost angry, but Lionkit seemed unbothered. Lionkit curled up near his mother, Lightcloud, and went to sleep.

"What's wrong?" Tigerkit asked his ginger friend, as she entered the nursery. She looked almost surprised to see him, and looked away guiltily.

"Nothing," she said, but she said it too quickly for even Tigerkit to believe her.

He nudged her gently with his nose. "Come on, what's the matter?"

Foxkit shook her head. "He was just…saying things. Mean things."

Tigerkit's heart sank. "About me?"

Foxkit nodded. "I told him to shut up though, or I'd claw him," she said.

"Thanks," Tigerkit said quietly. "What was he saying?"

"Stuff about your dad. About how he wasn't a real warrior, about how he fled from a battle and got killed anyway, on the Thunderpath."

Tigerkit's eyes widened. "He didn't die on the Thunderpath!" he said, almost roaring with outrage. "He was killed, by ShadowClan!"

"That's what I said, don't get mad at me!"

Tigerkit flattened his fur. "Sorry. But why would he say that? My father was a noble warrior. Dapplefur says so."

Foxkit looked away from him again. "What is it?" Tigerkit pressed.

"I've just…heard things," she mumbled. "I think your dad might have run off during a battle."

Tigerkit's fur bristled again. "Who is telling you these lies?"

"I just overheard the elders telling a story to Whitekit and Gingerkit a few days ago. Your father went missing during a battle, and everyone thought he had been killed. They found his body on the Thunderpath the next day, crushed by monsters."

"Someone framed him, I know it!" Tigerkit hissed. "Someone set him up! ShadowClan probably killed him and…and dragged him to the Thunderpath!"

"Yeah, maybe," Foxkit said, but Tigerkit realized she didn't believe him.

"Whatever," he growled. "Go crawl back to Lionkit, why don't you? It sounds like you have more fun with him than me."

Foxkit bristled. "Of course I do," she retorted angrily, "you're nothing but a newborn compared to us!" With that she turned and padded away, curling up beside the already-asleep Gingerkit, who shifted slightly in her sleep. Tigerkit retreated back to his own mother's side, feeling lonely once more. It seemed like he always messed everything up. He desperately wished for his own sibling; brother, sister, it didn't matter to him. Any company, anyone that was his age and could be his playmate, would be enough for him.

He sighed quietly, and rested his head against his mother's stomach. She licked his head gently, creating a rhythm, a rhythm that he fell asleep to.


	6. Chapter 4: A New Friend

4

Tigerkit awoke the next morning to a jab in his side. He opened his eyes, hoping to see Foxkit, but was disappointed. It was Gingerkit, Foxkit's sister, who blinked down at him now. She looked almost identical to Foxkit, except her eyes were golden like her mother's, instead of bright green like Foxkit's.

"Where's Foxkit?" Tigerkit mewed sleepily.

"We're being apprenticed," Gingerkit said. "She didn't want to wake you, but I thought you'd want to be there too."

"I do," Tigerkit said, getting to his paws. He nudged his mother's side with his nose, waking her as well.

"They're being apprenticed," he informed her.

"Congratulations," Dapplefur purred to Gingerkit, before getting to her paws. "Kits aren't really supposed to attend, but since they are your friends…." Tigerkit purred with delight at her words.

_I bet Lionkit won't be coming! _He thought triumphantly. _He and Foxkit aren't friends. Are they?_

He glanced around the den, but Lionkit, Whitekit, and their mother Fawndapple were not present.

"Whitekit's my friend," Gingerkit explained. "I told her before I told you, sorry."

Tigerkit's ears flattened slightly, but he pasted on a smile. The least he could do was be happy for them.

"Come on!" Tigerkit chirped, nipping his mother's tail. "Hurry!"

They padded outside together, and Gingerkit scampered toward her mother. Foxkit was sitting as still as a statue, her coat groomed to a glossy sheen. Fawndapple gave Gingerkit a few quick licks, before Brightstar sprang up upon the HighRock.

"All those old enough to catch their own prey, gather here for a Clan meeting," the white she-cat yowled. Warriors and apprentices appeared from their dens, blinking with interest. It was obvious who would be their mentors, for there were only two cats left; Patchpelt the black and white tom, and Cinderfur, the sleek silver she-cat. The only question was which cat would be apprenticed to which.

"Foxkit, come here please," Brightstar said, her voice ringing out over the camp. Foxkit stood and padded near the HighRock. Tigerkit was surprised to see that she was quivering slightly. "Foxkit, do you promise to train hard and learn StarClan's noble code?"

"I do," Foxkit whispered her voice barely audible.

"Then, from this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Foxpaw.

"Patchpelt," Brightstar continued, "You are one of our oldest warriors, and one of the most skilled. I trust you will pass your courage and experience on to Foxpaw." With that, Patchpelt and Foxpaw touched noses gently. Gingerkit was then apprenticed to Cinderfur, and became Gingerpaw.

"Foxpaw! Gingerpaw!" Tigerkit cheered. Dapplefur laughed quietly, and flicked her tail over his mouth.

"You don't cheer yet, dearest," she said. "That comes when they are warriors." Tigerkit's face fell slightly, and Dapplefur added quickly, "I'm sure they appreciated it, though." Sure enough, Foxkit's green eyes were shining, and even Gingerkit looked pleased.

Patchpelt and Cinderfur glanced at each other, and then flicked their tails to their apprentices and led them out of camp.

"Back to the nursery," Dapplefur said, herding Tigerkit in that direction. He dug his paws into the ground, not wanting to return there. Lightcloud and her two kits passed them. As Lionkit walked by, he hissed into Tigerkit's ear.

"You even messed up their apprentice ceremony!" Lionkit said, his eyes glinting with malice, whispering so that only Tigerkit could hear. "What kind of cat are you?"

Dapplefur blinked down at the golden kit. "What did you say?"

Lionkit smiled at her, flashing his white fangs. "I was just telling him Foxkit probably appreciated his calling, although it was misplaced." His voice was so full of fake innocence, Tigerkit couldn't believe Dapplefur didn't realize he was lying.

Dapplefur simply smiled at the golden kit and nodded. Lionkit scampered to join up with his sister and mother. "Come on, Tigerkit," Dapplefur order. "Stop being so sullen. You should be more like Lionkit. He's friends with Foxkit too, and he isn't moping."

_Because he doesn't have to wait as long as I do, _Tigerkit thought, but didn't dare say so. All he could say was "Coming, Mother."

Dapplefur lay down as soon as they entered the den, and ordered Tigerkit to drink from her. He did so, and then lay down beside her, feeling listless. What was he supposed to do for the next two moons with no playmates?

"Do you miss Foxkit?" a quiet voice asked, surprising him. Tigerkit blinked into Whitekit's pale face. He remembered that she and Gingerkit were close friends. With only the horrid Lionkit for company now, she must be lonely.

"Yeah, I guess," Tigerkit said, sitting up. "I have no one to play with now, if that is what you mean…"

"Me neither," Whitekit replied, with a glance at her sleeping brother. "He's such an arrogant furball," she whispered, as if she was afraid he would overhear. Tigerkit laughed quietly.

"Yeah, he is. I feel sorry for you. Still, it's better to have one sibling than none."

Whitekit blinked in surprise. "What?" she asked. "Are you kidding? I'd rather have none than one that makes me look stupid, less than what I really am. Everyone always oohs and aahs over him, but never gives me a second glance." She looked at her paws sadly. Tigerkit felt a pang of guilt. He had always done the same thing.

"I think you're alright," he said, not wanting to make her feel sad. Whitekit looked up at him with gleaming eyes.

"Really?"

"Ah ,yeah," Tigerkit said, and then crouched, batting at her paws playfully. "Want to play?"

Whitekit grinned. "You're on!" she cried, and sprang at him. They tussled together for some time, finally ending up with them both lying together, panting heavily.

"You're pretty good for a younger kit," Whitekit said.

"You're pretty good for…you?" Tigerkit said hesitantly. Whitekit simply blinked at him for a moment, and then let out a loud laugh. Tigerkit started laughing too, until his gaze strayed to Lionkit. The little golden kit was looking at him with open hatred in his golden eyes. Tigerkit looked away, feeling his pelt prickle with unease. Still, he felt much happier than he had since Dapplefur wouldn't let him go with the others. Whitekit was an okay friend after all.


	7. Chapter 5: Dark Dreams

**AN: I think I neglected this earlier, but the setting of this story is a little strange. I have always regarded as most of the second series' plot to be mostly ridiculous. That means that while some second-generation characters might appear, the setting is that of the first series. So you'll see Hawkfrost, but you'll also see the Sunningrocks and such as well.**

5

Strange, _was all Tigerkit managed to think as he padded through the dusty forest. It looked as if it had been scorched, burned completely, leaving nothing but the hollow shells of blackened trees behind. Tigerkit observed his surroundings with interest, trying to find any of the landmarks he had heard about from the elders, to see where in ThunderClan territory he was. Above his head, the sky was black, but there were no stars, no moon. It was as if StarClan itself was absent from this forest._

_A quiet cough behind him made him turn. Tigerkit blinked in surprise. Before him…was himself, a mirror image of himself, but much older and larger, and scarred as well. His amber eyes burned as he looked at Tigerkit._

"_Do you know who I am?" the strange tom asked. _

"_No," Tigerkit said, his voice devoid of fear. "Should I?" An idea hit him. "Wait, are you my father?"_

_The tom laughed quietly. "No, Tigerkit. I am not your father…but you could say that I am related to you. I _am _you."_

"_What?" Tigerkit cried. "What does that mean? Are…are you me from the future?"_

_The tom shook his head. "I am you from the past," he said. "Many moons ago, we led ShadowClan, until we were killed by a traitorous rogue."_

"_But…I've never even been to ShadowClan," Tigerkit said, shrinking back. "I'm from ThunderClan!"_

"_As was I originally," the tom said with a nod. "But I left and made ShadowClan great. I am Tigerstar."_

We share the same name, _Tigerkit thought. _Maybe, he really is….

"_But if you're dead, why am I alive?" Tigerkit asked._

_Tigerstar sat down. "Sit, child," he said. "This will take some time to explain." Tigerkit hesitated, and then did as Tigerstar said._

"_Many moons ago, I was born in ThunderClan. My siblings both died soon after they were born. My father was leader of the Clan, but he left to become a kittypet. Rumors surrounded my birth, but I was a respected warrior long before I heard of them. They did nothing but flame my ambition to become a leader like my father. Only, unlike my weak father, I would never leave my Clan for the life of a mere kittypet. The idea was laughable._

"_Then, a kittypet was accepted into the Clan by the name of Rusty. He became Firepaw. He and I butted heads several times. In the end, he led to my exile by claiming I betrayed ThunderClan. For many moons, I was a rogue, until ShadowClan's leader died. StarClan had told me it was my destiny to lead, and they had sent the medicine cat a message that a new leader was coming. When I entered the Clan with my band of rogues, I became ShadowClan's leader. For many moons, we were at peace. But Bluestar died, and Firepaw – then Fireheart – became leader. ThunderClan presented a threat to my own Clan, and I believed that the forest would be better off with one Clan made of four; there would be no wars, no battles over territory or prey, only peace. WindClan and ThunderClan disagreed, but I had to make my dream a reality. I went in search of help. I found BloodClan, a Clan in the city led by a cat named Scourge. He agreed to help, but when it came time for us to fight the other Clans, he turned on me and killed me with one swipe, stripping away all nine of my lives. I died and came here. StarClan put me here, in the Dark Forest, because of the resulting battle between BloodClan and the other four Clans, during which many cats died."_

_Tigerkit's eyes went round. "Scourge killed you with one swipe?" He asked in amazement. "And I was a leader, huh? That's so cool!"_

_Tigerstar smiled at him. "Eventually, I managed to convince StarClan to give me another chance, to prove myself so that I could join StarClan once more. They agreed, and you were born without any of your memories."_

_Tigerkit frowned. "But…then why are you here? And that's not all true. I have dreams of battles sometimes, and cats dying."_

_Tigerstar nodded slowly. "StarClan's power is great, but they are not perfect. They could not wipe your memories completely, or strip you of your old life. Some of yourself remains. And more of it will come. Don't you want your memories? Don't you want your old power? I've been watching you, Tigerkit. I had a rival like your Lionkit, once. Wouldn't you like to beat him?"_

"_How?" Tigerkit asked eagerly, and Tigerstar smiled again._

"_Look," he said. As he spoke, six more cats appeared in the darkness. At first, they all appeared to be identical to Tigerstar. However, as they drew close, Tigerkit realized that although they looked almost exactly like Tigerstar, there was something different about each of them that he couldn't quite put his paw on._

"_Through the many years I have spent here, I have found that just as this forest is a dark parallel of StarClan's own forest, there are rituals that are the dark parallels of StarClan's rituals. This is one such ritual. Through this, I can give you eight lives, and your memories as well."_

"_How does it work?" Tigerkit breathed._

"_Each of these cats are a shadow of one cat that resided in StarClan," Tigerstar said. "Each cat was very important to you in some way during your past life. And, as each give you a life, all of your memories surrounding that cat will return to you."_

_Tigerkit's eyes glowed with excitement. "I want them all! I want them now!" he exclaimed._

"_All in good time. The process is too much for a youngling like yourself. Once you are an apprentice, you will gain your second life back. Then, we will speak again."_

_Tigerkit's spirits fell. "That's a whole two moons away!" he whined._

"_Patience is a lesson you must learn," Tigerstar said simply. "Now, our time grows short. StarClan might be monitoring you even in your dreams. You'll wake soon anyway, so I'm going to leave you."_

"_Wait!" Tigerkit exclaimed. "You said next time I'll get my second life. Who gave me my first? When did it happen? Why will I only have eight lives instead of nine?"_

"_It was soon after you were born," Tigerstar replied, "and it nearly killed you. I was hasty, and it cost me dearly. However, it did return to you several memories. As to why you have eight...when you were reborn, StarClan used one of my nine lives to create you. However, they didn't realize that my eight other lives resided here as well. They think that you do not have any of your memories and have no idea who you were supposed to be. They are wrong. Perhaps, in time, you might earn nine lives if you become a leader."_

"_Who was the cat?" Tigerkit pressed. The forest around him began to fade, and the seven other Tigerstar's faded into the shadows, leaving one behind._

"_Who was the cat?" Tigerkit called again. Tigerstar turned to face him, and then disappeared, but not before uttering a single word,_

"_Brambleclaw."_

**AN: The plot thickens! Now, that wasn't very clear, perhaps. Basically, Tigerstar has created a plan to give his reincarnation nine lives. The first was given to him at birth. Remember how the cat's original life is stripped away to prepare for their nine new ones? That happened to Tigerkit when he was little. That, coupled with the pain of his first life, nearly killed him. He's too young to remember this. Now he must wait until he is an apprentice to earn his second life; Tigerstar doesn't want to risk giving him another while he is so young. We've finally gotten some real action, so R & R,please!**

**Feel free to ask questions too!  
**


	8. Chapter 6: Memories

**Geez, compared to my other fic, some of these chapters are really short. I'll fix that, though; all of my chapters will be at least 1k from now on, maybe 1.5k.**

6

Tigerkit awoke with his sides rising up and down rapidly. Excitement consumed him. He had once been a great leader, the leader of ShadowClan, no less! And now he would be given nine lives, just like a real leader. Maybe he would lead ThunderClan someday!

Tigerkit glanced over at the sleeping Lionkit and Whitekit, with a smirk on his muzzle. _Lionkit doesn't have greatness in him like I do,_ Tigerkit thought smugly. _When I get my eight lives, just wait! I'll battle Lionkit, and there will be no way he could defeat me. I'll win, and then I'll be special. I'll be the one that everyone loves!_

He glanced outside, and noticed that the moon was still high in the sky. He yawned. Even with all the excitement, he still needed sleep. His eyes began to droop, but he kept the stars firmly in his sights. After the darkness of the strange forest, seeing Silverpelt above him was comforting, to say the least.

However, he soon fell asleep again. This time, his dreams were not of the Dark Forest.

_He was standing in the nursery, blinking down at two small kits. One was light, but one was darker. It had his pelt. It let out a small cry and wiggled towards the belly of its mother, blindly. _Bramblekit, _he thought._

_The scene changed. He was in a clearing somewhere. On his side, ShadowClan and RiverClan cats stood. On the other, WindClan and ThunderClan. Then, he saw the cat again, this time much older. _Bramblepaw.

It went on and on, these dreams, each of which contained the strange cat, Bramblepaw. There were even some of him speaking to the cat in his dreams for some reason, tutoring him. _Why am I doing all this? _Tigerkit wondered. _Is he my…son?_ The thought was too strange for him to consider, and it was soon washed away in the images. Then, the next dream revealed something shocking.

_He was snuffling against his mother's body, probing her for milk, when a voice spoke in his head. Dimly, he could remember another voice at his birth. This one sounded like it, but not; it was as if there were two voices speaking in unison, together. _Tigerstar and Brambleclaw? _Tigerkit wondered. _Each of my lives are partly myself, and partly another cat, _Tigerkit remembered._

Tigerkit, _the voice whispered to him, _with this life, I strip away your old life and I replace it with this one. I bring you the memories you lost of me. _And then a jolt of pain went through Tigerkit, crippling him, washing away everything but the pain. Dimly he could hear Dapplefur crying out as he spasmed. He could feel her licking him, could feel someone else – Petalcloud, the medicine cat? – telling his mother he would die, that she could do nothing. And then, as quickly as it had come, the pain ebbed away._

Tigerkit awoke, panting heavily. _Those memories, _he thought. _They were about the cat that gave me my life, Brambleclaw. About everything he had to do with me. Even when he gave me my first life. My mother thought I was going to die! _Suddenly, her over protectiveness made sense. He had nearly died when he was young. Of course she was concerned for him. What mother wouldn't be?

He was surprised to see that the sun was already up. _The memories took longer than they felt, _he thought, still feeling shaken. _I was lucky it happened when I was too little to remember. But now I do remember…and it felt terrible. Will the other seven feel that way? Will I die next time? Maybe it would be better for me to wait to be a warrior than an apprentice…._

Then, he heard Lionkit whisper something to Whitekit, and resentment flooded him once more._ If I do die, so be it, _he thought. _I'll take Lionkit down before I do. I won't let the pain kill me; I have to beat Lionkit first. I'll have revenge. _The chilling feeling took over his heart, and his eyes narrowed, burning with ambition.

"Hey, Tigerkit," he heard Whitekit purr. He turned to her. She squinted at him. "Did you sleep okay? You still look a bit tired."

"I slept fine," Tigerkit grunted. "Just had some bad dreams."

"You should see Petalcloud about that," Whitekit suggested. Tigerkit felt anger again, remembering how Petalcloud had told Dapplefur that he would die.

_She didn't even try! She would have let me die without even a poppy seed to ease my way!_ He thought angrily. _What kind of cat is she, to do something like that? _

Whitekit looked more concerned. "Are you feeling okay?" she pressed."You look sick."

"I'm fine!" Tigerkit snapped. "Just tired, okay? I don't want to see stupid Petalcloud."

Whitekit recoiled as if he had struck her. Her lip trembled.

"What are you doing to my sister?" Lionkit growled, coming up beside Whitekit.

"Nothing," Tigerkit growled in reply. "Go chase your own tail, you stupid furball."

"Tigerkit!" Whitekit exclaimed. "Why would you say that?"

"It's true! He's all brawn and no brains!" Tigerkit retorted hotly. "Go away, both of you!"

"No one orders me around," Lionkit warned. There was a quiet sound as his claws unsheathed.

"Kits, kits," Dapplefur said sleepily. She blinked several times and her eyes widened. "What's going on here?" she asked, seeing Lionkit's claws. Lionkit sheathed them quickly.

"He was being mean to Whitekit and me," Lionkit said innocently.

"No I wasn't!" Tigerkit shouted.

"Tigerkit, be quiet!" Dapplefur snapped. "You'll wake up Lightcloud. Lionkit, Whitekit, I think it is best if you go play together. Tigerkit obviously isn't in the mood to be nice."

Tigerkit had to restrain himself from yowling out loud. _It isn't fair! _He thought angrily. Without thinking, he sprang to his paws and dashed away, out of the nursery, out of the camp, wanting to run out of ThunderClan itself.


	9. Chapter 7: ShadowClan

7

Tigerkit heard his mother cry out behind him, but he was already out of camp, running through the forest like a fox was after him. He didn't stop until the stench of the Thunderpath reached his nose.

_Did I really come so far? _He thought, collapsing near the edge. Monsters rushed past, choking him with their stench, and he shrank back. Over the Thunderpath, ShadowClan loomed.

My _Clan, _he thought with pride._ I ruled them once. I made them great. _

Would they accept him if he ran over the Thunderpath? _It isn't like my own Clan does, _he thought. _Dapplefur thinks I'm a baby, Lionkit hates me, Whitekit probably hates me now, Foxpaw thinks I'm a furball, Gingerkit probably just doesn't care, and I've never even spoken to another apprentice or warrior….No one likes me in ThunderClan. I _should _leave._

Making the decision seemed to fill him with strength. Although exhausted by his run, he stood once more and waited until the Thunderpath was silent. Then, summoning all of his strength, he broke into a run. The surface was surprisingly sticky, and hot. As soon as he reached the other side, a monster rushed past, right where he had been before. Tigerkit let out a quiet sigh of relief, before setting his sights on ShadowClan's territory.

As he began walking, he noticed immediately that it was marshy, and covered with brambles and nettles. Burrs began sticking to him as well, and he let out a growl of distaste. _How did I stand this before? _He thought. _The scent alone…! _ShadowClan's scent threatened to overwhelm him. He wrinkled his nose, but kept going.

A fallen log blocked his path. On either side was a path of brambles. Tigerkit struggled to climb the rotting log, his claws slipping and sliding on the smooth surface. He collapsed on the top, the fight quite taken out of the young kit. He let out a quiet sigh. How was he supposed to find their camp? Was he supposed to stumble around in this stupid marsh?

A sudden crackle made him turn, and his jaw dropped open as he stared into the face of a ShadowClan warrior. It was a large white tom, with bright blue eyes.

"What have we got here, Hailstorm?" another warrior chirped, coming up from behind the white tom. It was a pretty gray she-cat with bright green eyes.

"Looks like a kit," Hailstorm growled, and sniffed Tigerkit. "Ugh, smell that reek? He's ThunderClan all right."

The she-cat studied Tigerkit curiously, as if he was a piece of prey.

"I-I came t-to join ShadowClan," Tigerkit said, his voice trembling. Hailstorm snorted.

"ThunderClan is sending kit _spies _now?" the chilling tom asked. The she-cat rolled her eyes.

"Obviously he isn't a spy, or they would have at least tried to hide his scent," she said. "Really, little kit, what are you here for?"

"I want to join," Tigerkit said again. "ThunderClan doesn't want me. No one likes me."

The she-cat's eyes softened. "I think we can take the little guy to camp, don't you?"

Hailstorm snorted. "Use your head, Fogwind. They'll track him here, and then a bunch of ShadowClan scents with his scent? They'll think we kidnapped him or something. We need to bring him back to the border and leave him by the Thunderpath."

"I won't go!" Tigerkit declared. "I'll just come right back here!"

"He could get hit on the Thunderpath," Fogwind said, ignoring Tigerkit's words. "And I'm sure as StarClan not going over the Thunderpath. And we can't take the tunnel with him…."

"Mouse-brain! You're the reasons other Clans _send _spies!" Hailstorm snapped.

"ThunderClan already knows where our camp is, anyway," Fogwind reasoned, "and they won't attack if he comes to no harm. And if we just leave him here and he gets hurt, _then _we'll be in real trouble."

Hailstorm seemed about to argue, but then he sighed in defeat. "Fine," he said, and sprang over the log. "You're carrying him, though," he called over his shoulder.

* * *

ShadowClan camp was not what he had expected. He had been hoping for an exact copy of ThunderClan camp, but this was not the case. Most of the dens appeared to have been dug out of the soft earth, rather than the bushes and ferns that sheltered the warriors. The camp was simply a clearing, a little muddy from the recent rain. There was a HighRock, however which Tigerkit was relieved to see.

Hailstorm padded forward, disappearing into a den between the roots of a tree. Moments later, he emerged, followed by an immense dark tom that Tigerkit could only assume was Darkstar, leader of ShadowClan.

"What have we here?" Darkstar rumbled, drawing closer. Tigerkit tried to shrink back, but with his scruff in Fogwind's jaws, he couldn't do much. Luckily, Fogwind set him down near her paws.

"We found him on our territory," she mewed.

"I see," Darkstar murmured, sizing him up. "Interesting. What were you doing here, kit? What's your name?"

"I'm T-T-Tigerkit," he said, stammering worse than before. "I want to join your Clan."

Darkstar laughed quietly. "And what makes you think we'll let you, a pathetic ThunderClan kit, into our Clan?"

Tigerkit bristled. "I ruled ShadowClan once!" he retorted, and then realized his mistake. "Er, I mean a ThunderClan cat led ShadowClan once," he said quickly. Darkstar looked incredulous. Then, his eyes darkened.

"Tigerstar," he spat. "The worst leader we ever had. He led to the great battle for the forest, between LionClan and BloodClan. We lost many cats on that dark day, and it took us many moons to redeem ourselves for our crimes."

Tigerkit's eyes widened at his words. _Tigerstar was a terrible leader? _He thought, feeling shaken. "W-what do you mean?"

Darkstar shook his head. "It's irrelevant. The point is, we can't let you into our Clan. We don't accept cats from other Clans, especially not ThunderClan."

Tigerkit bristled. "I want to stay!"

"This one has fangs!" someone laughed. A beautiful black she-cat padded forward. She flicked her tail over Darkstar's shoulder.

"Let me handle him," she said with a glint in her eye. "When I'm finished with him, there's no way he'll ever want to join ShadowClan."


	10. Chapter 8: Crash Course

**AN: Before we begin (sorry for the cliff hanger) I want to thank ****allygirl56**** for her continued support of this story! You're awesome!**

7

Tigerkit had to stop himself from letting out a mewl of fright. _It's all going wrong! _He thought. _What did you think was going to happen? _Another voice inside his head asked sarcastically. _That they would just welcome you in with open paws? _That was exactly what he had been thinking, but he wouldn't admit it.

"Don't rough him up too much, Blackheart," Darkstar said. Tigerkit shot a pleading glance at Fogwind, but she didn't appear to be worried for him as she had before.

"We're going to get the prey we caught from before we found him," Fogwind said, and then she and Hailstorm padded out of camp.

"Okay then, kit, time for your crash course in ShadowClan!" Blackheart said, turning to him. "How old are you. Three moons?"

"I'm older than that!" Tigerkit exclaimed, bristling. "I'm…five moons!" He added an extra moon just to be safe. He didn't want ShadowClan thinking he was weak.

"So you've been weaned?"

"Well…." Tigerkit trailed off. Most kits were weaned around their second or third moon, but he was in his fourth and had never eaten real prey. His other always insisted that milk was better for him, and that he was too small to eat meat yet. "Yeah," he lied.

"Good. Now, if you're going to be in ShadowClan, you have to eat ShadowClan prey. Come with me." Blackheart led him to the fresh-kill pile. Tigerkit sniffed it uncertainly.

"Our most common prey is toad or frog," Blackheart said, and selected a bumpy toad from the pile. She pushed it towards him. "Eat."

Tigerkit wrinkled his nose. It was slimy and smelly and bumpy, and couldn't he get warts in his mouth from eating them? He blinked up at Blackheart, but she showed no signs of relenting. _If Tigerstar ate them, so can I, _he thought, and took a bite. The texture in his mouth was slimy and the taste was enough to make him want to vomit. It was all he could do just to choke it down. _Not at all what I thought my first prey would taste like!_

"Hurry up, eat the rest," Blackheart said, but Tigerkit could only stare at the toad. "Saving it for later? Good idea!" Blackheart purred. "You'll need the food after your patrol and training session."

"What?" Tigerkit squeaked. "I'm tired! I need to rest!" He collapsed on the ground to illustrate his point.

"Rest? _Rest?_ ShadowClan cats don't believe in rest! Our apprentices begin training at three moons! They patrol and hunt every morning, and train all day! We train and fight with our claws unsheathed." She crouched and unsheathed her claws to illustrate _her _point. "What's your name again?"

"Tigerkit."

"Tigerkit, Tigerpaw…it's a good name, but not nearly fearsome enough. You need a more intimidating name. Let's see…Clawpaw? You're claws are pretty long, but that's not very scary. Scarpaw would work much better! And we can even give you some scars to match…." She took a step forward and flexed her claws, as if she was itching to scar his face this very moment.

It was all too much for Tigerkit. He let out a yowl of defeat as misery swelled up inside him. "I want to go home! I want to see my mother, and Foxpaw and Gingerpaw and fight with Lionkit and Whitekit and just not be noticed! It has to be better than this place!" He buried his face in his paws, shaking. He heard Blackheart approaching him. He tensed, but then was surprised as she licked his head.

"Are you sure?" she asked in a gentle voice. Tigerkit blinked up at her with misty eyes and nodded.

"Why didn't you say so?" Blackheart asked, amusement in her amber eyes. "Let's go, then!"

"D-do I have to walk?" Tigerkit asked, his voice trembling from exhaustion and fear.

"Not if you don't want to. Just hang on a moment." She padded over to Darkstar, and said something to her quietly. Darkstar glanced at Tigerkit and then let out a surprisingly cheery laugh, and nodded.

"Alright, I got permission from the big guy," Blackheart said, and picked up Tigerkit gently by the scruff. "Let's go."

* * *

Blackheart halted on the edge of the Thunderpath. It was almost dusk, now, and so fewer monsters were rushing up and down the sticky black path. Blackheart waited for a lull, and then dashed forward over the hot path, halting on the edge.

She set Tigerkit down gently. "I can't go much farther without getting into real trouble," she said, "and your camp is right around here. There will probably be a patrol looking for you now, so you won't have to go far. You can make it. You're a tough kit, to make it into ShadowClan camp."

Tigerkit blinked up at her, uncertain of what to say. "Thanks," he said quietly. Blackheart nodded and then turned, running over to her side of the Thunderpath. A twinkle in her amber eyes made Tigerkit wonder if his "crash course" actually had anything to do with real ShadowClan life at all.

Tigerkit let out a weary sigh and struggled to his paws, stumbling through the forest. The fight and adventurous spirit had been worn out of the little kit; all he wanted was to go home. The familiar scents of the territory gave him strength, and when he scented ThunderClan cats, he nearly cried with relief.

"I think I smell something!" he heard an unfamiliar voice exclaim. There was a rustle of undergrowth, and a black face with a white stripe between the eyes blinked at him. "Here he is!" the strange cat exclaimed.

"Good work, Badgerpaw," another voice purred. "Your tracking skills are improving." A scary-looking gray tom joined Badgerpaw.

"Thanks," Badgerpaw purred. "Birchpaw! Firestorm! We found him!"

More rustling, and then a young, pale gray tom and a ginger tom appeared as well.

"Are you okay?" Birchpaw asked, his nose wrinkled.

"He stinks," Badgerpaw said, wrinkling his nose as well. Tigerkit realized how he must look, covered in burrs and mud and stinking of ShadowClan.

"I just want to go home," he said weakly.

* * *

"Dapplefur!" Badgerpaw called as they entered camp. Tigerkit's mother raced out of the nursery, her eyes wild.

"Did you find him?" she demanded, and then she spotted Tigerkit in Firestorm's mouth. "Tigerkit! My poor darling!"

Firestorm set Tigerkit down, and Dapplefur immediately covered him with licks. "ShadowClan?" she asked, drawing back. She wrinkled her nose.

"You found him?" Brightstart asked, padding forward. "He reeks of ShadowClan. Did they steal him?"

Viperfang shrugged. "We followed his scent back the way he had come. It mixed with ShadowClan scent there, and then we could smell ShadowClan strongly on their side of the Thunderpath. I don't know what happened, exactly."

"I ran away to ShadowClan," Tigerkit croaked. "N-no one wants me here."

Dapplefur paused in her licking. "Baby, how could you think that?"

Tigerkit was too tired to explain. He simply shook his head. "I ran over the Thunderpath and two warriors found me and took me to camp and then Blackheart taught me about ShadowClan…and I didn't want to be there anymore so she took me back home."

Brightstar listened, nodding. "ShadowClan's deputy is known for her love of pranks," she said, causing Tigerkit to blink with surprise. He hadn't known that Blackheart was the deputy!

"She showed you a false way of ShadowClan life to scare you, I expect," Brightstar said. "But you are unhurt?"

Tigerkit nodded.

"Are you going to punish him?" Viperfang growled. Brightstar laughed quietly.

"Punish him? Look at him! He desperately needs rest and food. I'm not going to punish him like this. And if he felt he didn't belong here, he's been punished enough. Dapplefur, you may take him to the nursery."

"Clean him up before he stinks up the whole place, though!" Badgerpaw joked.

Dapplefur picked up Tigerkit and padded into the nursery. She curled around him and groomed him gently.

"You're okay!" Whitekit purred, and then recoiled. "Ugh! You smell like crowfood!"

"ShadowClan," Dapplefur said, by way of explanation. Even Lionkit was impressed.

"You went to _ShadowClan?" _He asked in amazement. Tigerkit simply nodded, and then closed his eyes. He heard Lionkit and Whitekit chattering, but their words were indistinguishable, and he drifted off to sleep without another thought.

**AN: The longest chapter yet, hurray!**


	11. Chapter 9: ApprenticeClan

9

Over the next few weeks, Tigerkit finally got the attention he had been craving. Cats he had never spoken to before dropped by to say they were glad he was okay. The apprentices (mostly Badgerpaw) often visited to hear his stories about him fighting off dozen of ShadowClan warriors (Tigerkit might have exaggerated his experience just a little) and Lionkit had to be nice to him with so many other cats around. It was bliss, but the ending of the moon hung over him, tainting his otherwise perfect days. Lionkit and Whitekit would turn six moons old and leave the nursery, leaving him as the only kit in ThunderClan. He would be forgotten, again, as he had been before. Even his newfound fame couldn't last forever.

Several days before Lionkit's ceremony, Badgerpaw, Birchpaw, and Blackpaw were all made into warriors, becoming Badgerstripe, Birchpelt, and Blackstream. Tigerkit cheered for them like everyone else – especially for Badgerstripe and Birchpelt, since they had brought him home – while thinking of his own warrior ceremony. What would it be like? What would his warrior name be? He hoped it would be something exciting.

Then, the fateful day arrived; the day that Tigerkit would be the only kit in the Clan. Lionkit and Whitekit were groomed to perfection, and Lightcloud was sitting near them, looking proud and self-important.

Brightstar sprang up atop the HighRock. "Lionkit, Whitekit, come here please," she ordered. "Lionkit, do you promise to train hard and learn StarClan's noble code?"

Lionkit nodded. "I do," he said confidently.

"Then from this day forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Lionpaw," Brightstar said. "Viperfang, your apprentice Badgerpaw has recently become a warrior, and you are ready for a new apprentice. You will be Lionpaw's mentor. I trust that you will pass on your strength and loyalty." Viperfang and Lionpaw touched noses, but Tigerpaw was pleased to see Lionpaw looked nervous around his new mentor. Brightstar continued with Whitekit, who became Whitepaw, the apprentice of Firestorm.

The Clan began to stir, but Brightstar quieted them all with a glance.

"Our business here is not yet concluded," she said. "During the last moon, a kit of ours left camp, eventually finding his way into the heart of ShadowClan. Any kit brave enough or strong enough to survive the journey should be an apprentice. Not only that, but with tensions high between us and RiverClan, we'll need all of the warriors we can get. Tigerkit, come up here please."

Tigerkit's jaw opened with surprise. She blinked at his mother, but she looked just as surprised as he did.

'Go on, darling," Dapplefur purred, giving him a gentle nudge. Tigerkit got to his paws and padded towards the HighRock nervously.

"Tigerkit, do you swear to train hard to learn StarClan's noble code?"

"I do," Tigerkit said, grateful for once that his voice did not tremble.

"Then, from this day forth, you will be known as Tigerpaw, until you earn your warrior name. Snowflight, you have also recently trained an apprentice who has become a warrior. I entrust Tigerpaw to you. I hope you will pass on your intelligence and experience to him."

Snowflight padded forward and touched noses with Tigerpaw gently. Snowflight's eyes were a familiar gold, and his white pelt was familiar as well. _He's Whitepaw's father! _Tigerpaw realized. _Lionpaw's as well!_ He became nervous for a moment, thinking of Lionpaw's arrogance. But then he remembered Whitepaw's calm kindness. _They both have a little Snowflight in them, but they have Lightcloud in them too. Who knows what Snowflight will be like?_

And then, as quickly as it had began, the ceremony was over.

"Congratulations, Tigerpaw!" Whitepaw purred happily. "We're all apprentices now!"

Tigerpaw smiled at her, and then blinked at the clump of ferns near the fallen oak, where the apprentice den was. Gingerpaw was in the entrance, and she seemed to be…signaling them?

"Come on," Lionpaw grunted, and he and the others ran towards the apprentice den.

"Come," Gingerpaw mewed mysteriously, and padded inside. Tigerpaw and Whitepaw shared glances, before following them.

"I am Foxstar, of the mighty ApprenticeClan," Foxpaw said as they entered. "This is Gingerstep, my deputy. Who are you, newcomers?"

The three new apprentices blinked in surprise, completely confused. It was Whitepaw who caught on first.

"I am, ah, Whitepool," she said, "the medicine cat of ApprenticeClan."

"I'm Tigerclaw, the head warrior," Tigerpaw said almost as quickly. _A fitting name, considering my past, _he thought.

"I am…uh…." Lionpaw trailed off, unable to think of a name. Foxpaw blinked at him expectantly.

"He is Lionfur," Whitepaw said quickly.

"Welcome to ApprenticeClan!" Foxpaw said, and then grinned at them. "ApprenticeClan is a tradition handed down from the old days, back when old Smallstar ruled," she explained. "It's a sort of secret thing that apprentices do, for fun. Something special just for us. Birchstar was our old leader, but I'm the leader now since I'm the oldest apprentice, because Gingerpaw was apprenticed right after me. She's my deputy now. We get to play and pretend to be warriors and stuff. Isn't it cool?"

Tigerpaw felt a glow in his heart. It was nice to be included in these sorts of games.

"Congratulations on being an apprentice, by the way," Foxpaw said to Tigerpaw. "The ShadowClan thing was neat too."

Tigerpaw's glow intensified at her words.

"I don't like the name Lionfur," Lionpaw grumbled. "It sounds stupid. What if that's my warrior name?"

"The leader and other cats don't pay attention to ApprenticeClan, silly," Foxpaw said. "It has nothing to do with them, after all."

"Do other Clans have ApprenticeClans too?" Whitepaw asked curiously.

Foxpaw shrugged. "I doubt it. The other Clans aren't as cool as ThunderClan."

"ShadowClan's cool," Tigerpaw said.

"Really?" Foxpaw asked, turning her green gaze on him. "Come on, then. You have to tell us all about your adventures! We want to know everything!"

Tigerpaw let out a rumbling purr. "Okay, okay," he said, and lowered his voice to a whisper. "So, there I was, surrounded by ten – no, twenty! – ShadowClan warriors…."


	12. Chapter 10: Borders

10

"Tigerpaw? Tigerpaw?" Tigerpaw awoke to the sound of someone calling his name, just outside the apprentice den. Tigerpaw blinked and yawned slowly.

"Sounds like your mother," Foxpaw whispered. "Remember, ApprenticeClan is a secret!"

"Of course, Foxstar," Tigerpaw purred, before padding out of the apprentice den. Dapplefur was gazing at him with misty eyes.

"I spent my first night in the warrior den that I have in moons," she whispered. "Come here, baby. It was lonely without you." Tigerpaw glanced towards the apprentice den. He didn't want to be embarrassed. But he had really missed sleeping beside his mother too. He took a step forward, and she licked his head gently.

"You've changed so much in the last moon!" she murmured, resting her chin on his head. "You aren't my little baby that ran off to ShadowClan anymore. You're eating real meat and becoming an apprentice….I just wanted you to know I was proud of you. I know I don't always show it, and I'm a little overbearing…but I love you, I really do."

Tigerpaw felt his throat choke up. "I love you too, Mother," he said quietly. They sat there for a moment, mother and son together, until Dapplefur drew away.

"I'm on the dawn patrol," she said with a slight smile, "and I admit, I'm excited to see the territory again. Train hard to day, honey, and don't worry. Snowflight's gentle enough."

Tigerpaw nodded and Dapplefur padded away, joining up with Lightcloud and Fawndapple. It appeared they were all going to patrol together. Tigerpaw smiled as his mother disappeared, and padded back into the den.

He expected some sort of jeer from Lionpaw, but none came. Instead, Lionpaw looked…lonely? Tigerpaw remembered that this was Lionpaw's first night without his mother too. Maybe he was wishing Lightcloud had come to wish him good luck too. Tigerpaw thought about saying something, but he was afraid Lionpaw would take it the wrong way, so he remained silent.

"If the dawn patrol is leaving, your mentors are coming too," Foxpaw said with a yawn. "The first moon is the hardest, early-wise, but they ease up after that." She smiled at them and snuggled into her nest. "Have fun training into the cold!"

Tigerpaw nipped her ear playfully, and they were about to get into a scuffle, when a growl greeted them at the entrance to the den.

"Sounds like Viperfang," Foxpaw whispered with a shiver. "Badgerpaw always had horror stories about him." She blinked at Lionpaw sympathetically. "I wouldn't keep him waiting." She nodded to Whitepaw and Tigerpaw. "Your mentors are probably waiting to," she said, and then yawned and wriggled deeper into her nest and closed her eyes.

The three new apprentices stood up together and padded out of the apprentice den. Sure enough, Firestorm and Snowflight were there as well.

"Come on," Viperfang growled, "you've already wasted most of the morning." Tigerpaw felt another pang of sympathy as Lionpaw followed his dark gray mentor.

Firestorm yawned slowly. His ginger coat was brilliant in the sun's light. His eyes were a bright green as he blinked kindly down at Whitepaw. _He must be Foxpaw and Gingerpaw's father, _Tigerpaw realized, and then let out a quiet sigh. He never even got to see _his _father.

"Come on, time's wasting!" Firestorm said cheerily, flicking his tail over Whitepaw's nose. "Snowflight and Tigerpaw are coming with us to look at the territory," he said with a smile. "Viperfang and his apprentice were supposed to come too, but it looks like that hothead is going without us."

Snowflight snorted. "Who are you calling a hothead, _Fire_storm?"

Firestorm rolled his eyes. "Come on, Snowflight," he said as he padded towards the camp entrance. "Or Brightstar will think that _we _are the apprentices!"

Whitepaw hurried to catch up to her mentor, while Snowflight and Tigerpaw walked together a little bit behind. _I'll see the territory! _He thought with excitement. _I wonder how much of it is the same since I was alive?_

They walked through the forest quickly. It was cool under the thick branches and leaves of the canopy. It was Greenleaf, so there were no fallen leaves to crunch under their paws, but plenty of twigs and fallen branches made enough noise.

"Just south from camp is a Twoleg path," Snowflight rumbled, "and Treecut Place, where humans raise pine trees. They cut them down during Greenleaf, however, and it isn't safe to go there now. That's about all there is to the south, besides the Twoleg nests, and I doubt you'll want to go there. Twolegs sometimes kidnap young apprentices that get too close." At first, Tigerpaw thought Snowflight was joking, but he didn't see a twinkle in the white warrior's eyes, as he had with Blackheart.

"We're just going around the borders, not the heart of the territory," Firestorm explained. "That will come later, I expect. It is quite a walk, so we'll rest now and then, don't worry. Now, smell the air."

Tigerpaw and Whitepaw both opened their mouths, catching the scents that the morning breeze was blowing towards them.

"ShadowClan!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. Firestorm smiled at him.

"You would know their scent, wouldn't you?" he purred, before nodding. "Yes, and something else, too."

"The Thunderpath?" Tigerpaw asked, catching it's sour scent on the breeze. Firestorm nodded again.

"Good work, Tigerpaw," he said, before facing the Thunderpath. "This is right around where we found you, actually. I think you crossed the border somewhere near here. Anyway, as Tigerpaw already knows, ShadowClan lies on the other side of the Thunderpath. We only cross if we absolutely must, and I'll show you why." He led the four of them to the edge of the Thunderpath. Whitepaw put her paw on it, and wrinkled her nose.

"It's sticky," she mewed with disgust.

"Ever so often, big monsters come with black tar in their bellies and spread it on the path," Snowflight explained. "They did it about half a moon ago. Now, get down as this one comes past." The four cats flattened themselves to the ground as a great monster tore past, sending flecks of the black tar onto their furs. They shook themselves and stood once it had passed.

Tigerpaw peered over the border, straining to see any hint of a ShadowClan cat he might recognize, but no such cats appeared.

"On to FourTrees!" Firestorm announced, and began walking along the side of the Thunderpath. "Sometimes monsters veer off the path, so stay alert." Yet again Tigerpaw hoped he was joking, but he could tell he was not. _This just keeps getting better and better, _he thought nervously.

They walked for a long time, hopping across a small stream that led under the Thunderpath as they went. They finally halted on a slope, below which were four massive oaks, stretching towards the sky. "That is where the four Clans meet during Gatherings," Snowflight said, "and it marks the center of the four Clans. There is a stream that goes around it. That stream flows south-east later, and so it marks WindClan's territory. It will be hard, but see if you can scent it from here." They raised their noses, and Tigerpaw thought he caught a whiff of WindClan scent. It wasn't smelly like ShadowClan's. Rather, it almost smelled clean, of wide-open spaces with very little trees.

"WindClan lives on the moors and hunts rabbits," Snowflight continued. "Their territory holds little else, and so most other Clans do not bother with them. Rabbits are hard to catch for such little energy, and so WindClan is fast and lean."

He pointed his muzzle south-east, following the stream. "That is where we are heading next; the stream feeds the river for which RiverClan is named." He blinked at the apprentices. "You two look tired, though. We'll stop here for a short time to rest." He nodded to Firestorm. "I'll be back," he said, before disappearing into the brush. He emerged several minutes later with two mice clutched in his jaws. He tossed one to Firestorm, before sitting down and tucking into his own. Tigerpaw and Whitepaw glanced at each other uncertainly.

"Well, you're hungry, aren't you?" Snowflight purred. They nodded. "Share with your mentor, then," he said, flicking his tail to Tigerpaw. "I'm not going to bite you, honestly."

Tigerpaw moved forward and took a bite of the mouse, chewing slowly. After he had eaten part of the toad in ShadowClan's camp, he had told his mother than he no longer needed her milk, that he could eat prey. She allowed him to, and he had been enjoying the musky prey of ThunderClan ever since. Still, he had to admit that they tasted better freshly caught.

The four cats finished their meals quickly and began to lick themselves clean, relaxing in the shade while the sun rose high.

"Hey!" Firestorm exclaimed. Tigerpaw and Whitepaw turned to see who he was shouting at. Viperfang and Lionpaw appeared, coming up the slope.

"You're resting?" Viperfang grunted. "You'll teach your apprentices to be lazy."

"I think we've taught apprentices before, thank you," Snowflight said stiffly. Viperfang shrugged.

"We went the opposite way, starting at RiverClan and working our way here," he said. "There's something…interesting there your apprentices might want to see."

Whitepaw smiled at Lionpaw, but he didn't smile back. He looked slightly shaken, a little afraid. _Afraid of his mentor? _Tigerpaw wondered, _or has he seen something bad?_

"We should go, then," Snowflight said, getting to his paws. "ShadowClan wasn't about when we patrolled there," he said. Viperfang nodded and flicked his tail.

"Come, Lionpaw," he ordered. Lionpaw glanced longingly at what was left of the mice, before following his mentor.

"He's pushing that apprentice too hard," Firestorm grunted, once the gray warrior was out of earshot. "It's only his first day."

Snowflight shrugged. "He did the same with Badgerstripe, and he turned out well enough," Snowflight said. "Let's go, then. I want to see what Viperfang was talking about."

They began following the small stream that Snowflight had pointed out earlier. Sure enough, it led to a large river. There was even a waterfall rushing past what looked to be the remains of an old bridge.

"This stream used to be a little walking path for the Twolegs," Firestorm explained, "but that Twoleg nest has been abandoned for years. Eventually a stream took over here, and the bridge collapsed during a rough flood."

They walked along the edge of the river, going father south-west.

"Sunningrocks is just ahead," Snowflight said. "We clash with RiverClan over it frequently, and it has changed paws many times."

Suddenly, he stopped and his tail rose. "RiverClan warriors," he whispered, and sniffed the air. "No, warrior. And blood…lots of blood. The mist from the river is making it hard to scent."He turned to the apprentices. "Stay here," he ordered. "Firestorm, come with me."

"We'll be right back," Firestorm assured them, before padding after Snowflight. They soon disappeared from sight.

Whitepaw was shivered. "I smell the blood too," she whispered. "I remember it from when you were kitted. I was only a moon old, but I remember Dapplefur screaming before my mother could get us out of the nursery…." She shuddered. "Blood is never a good thing."

Tigerpaw nosed her shoulder gently. "I'm sure everything's fine," he said, but as Firestorm and Snowflight took longer to return, he was nervous. Finally, he stood.

"I will be right back," he told Whitepaw, before following the scent of his mentor.


	13. Chapter 11: Silvermist

11

He padded forward carefully, stopping to pause every few moments and scent. Snowflight and Firestorm had gone farther than he thought; perhaps that explained their absence. As he drew nearer to Sunningrocks, the scent of blood grew stronger.

"Is he dead?" he heard Firestorm murmur, and Tigerpaw sprang forward, bursting out of the brush and landing on a large, warm rock. He gasped at the sight in front of him.

A bloody dark tom was lying very still on the Sunningrocks. The smell of blood did nothing to disguise his scent; RiverClan. Tigerpaw was so shocked by the sight that he almost didn't see the other RiverClan cat, a misty gray queen whose pelt blended into the rocks.

"Yeah," Snowflight said near the body. "He's dead. He must have been torn up by the rocks, swimming across protecting the she-cat."

"Is _she _dead?" Firestorm asked. He was hanging back away from the bodies, and appeared to be ill. Snowflight padded over to the she-cat and sniffed her as well. "No, she's alive. Unconscious, though."

"Okay, let's just swim her back and leave her on the opposite bank," Firestorm suggested. "Back where she belongs."

"Not that simple," Snowflight replied. "She's pregnant."

Tigerpaw couldn't help but let out a squeak at the bloody sight. Both warriors turned to face him.

"We told you to wait," Snowflight said.

"I couldn't, we were worried, we thought you might be hurt," Tigerpaw said, staring at the body. "What happened?"

"This pregnant she-cat and this tom came over the river for some reason. It's swollen thanks to the recent rain, and it looks like the tom was bashed up against the rocks trying to help her over," Firestorm said quietly.

"W-what are we going to do with them?" Tigerpaw stammered. "Should I get Whitepaw?"

"No!" Snowflight said quickly. "I don't want her to see this." Tigerpaw remembered that he was Whitepaw's father. It was natural he wanted to protect her.

"Is this what Viperfang meant by interesting?" Firestorm spat. "He's a monster. He has no compassion for other cats beside ThunderClan warriors."

"My son had to see this," Snowflight murmured, and his eyes burned with anger. _No wonder he looked so shaken! _Tigerpaw thought with horror. _Poor Lionpaw…._

"Why didn't they help them?" Tigerpaw asked, padding towards the body and the she-cat. "How could he not help them?"

"The tom's been dead for a long time," Snowflight replied. "It looks like the she-cat was awake a few hours ago and tried to move, but was too weak. He probably thought they were both dead." He sighed quietly. "We'll have to tell Brightstar. Tigerpaw, run and get Whitepaw. The two of you go and get Brightstar; camp is just north of here."

Tigerpaw nodded, and ran back to where Whitepaw was waiting. He explained everything to her as quickly and as cleanly as he could, before springing to his paws and racing north with Whitepaw on his heels.

* * *

"Yes, Tigerpaw, what is it?" Brightstar asked as she padded out of her den. She blinked at Tigerpaw and Whitepaw. "Where are your mentors?"

"You have to come to Sunningrocks, quickly," Tigerpaw panted. He had already been tired from his first patrol, but all this running had exhausted him. "There's a dead RiverClan tom and a she-cat that we think might be his mate. Viperfang saw them but didn't do anything and then we found them and Snowflight and Firestorm sent us to get you…."

Brightstar's eyes widened. "I must go at once!" she exclaimed. "Snowflight and Firestorm are waiting?"

Tigerpaw nodded, to weak for words. Brightstar's eyes gentled. "Stay here and rest," she said softly, "both of you. I'll return soon. If Viperfang arrives before I comeback, tell him I want a word with him."

The apprentices nodded and then watched as Brightstar raced out of camp, running as if StarClan had given her strength.

* * *

Tigerpaw and Whitepaw shared a mouse while waiting anxiously for their leader and mentors to return. It was Viperfang and Lionpaw who returned first, however, much to their surprise.

"I take it your mentors found them?" Viperfang grunted as he padded towards the two apprentices, with Lionpaw on his heels.

"Brightstar's with them now," Tigerpaw growled up at the dark warrior. "She wants to see you when she gets back."

Viperfang shrugged and padded away.

"Are you okay, Lionpaw?" Whitepaw asked softly.

"He didn't care," Lionpaw said, collapsing by the fresh-kill pile. "She was stirring and coming awake and he left here there." He rested his head on his paws. Whitepaw offered him a vole, and he began eating it hungrily. "It was awful," he said with a slight shake of his head. "I don't want him as my mentor."

"The only others are Fawndapple, Lightcloud, and Dapplefur," Tigerpaw said. "I don't think Brightstar will give you to them though, since they're a little rusty on their skills."

Lionpaw sighed quietly. "StarClan help me." His arrogance was gone, stripped away by the darkness he had seen in his mentor. Tigerpaw had no doubt it would return in time, but that time might be far away with Viperfang around.

There was a loud rustle, and the apprentices turned to see Brightstar returning. Behind her, Snowflight and Firestorm were carrying the RiverClan queen on their backs, together. They laid her down in the center of camp, and padded towards their apprentices.

"What did Brightstar say?" Tigerpaw asked.

"She would have turned the she-cat away normally, but since she was with kits and the river was so high, she felt that we had to bring her here," Firestorm replied. "We buried the tom near Sunningrocks; we couldn't make it over the river with him."

The she-cat began to stir. She opened her eyes, and let out a gasp, her sides rising and falling quickly. Brightstar padded to her.

"Are you hurt?" Brightstar asked.

"Where are we?" the she-cat panted.

"ThunderClan camp. Are you hurt?" Brightstar pressed.

"No, no, but Stormheart…he was hurt, bleeding, but I passed out. Where is he? Did you take him to the medicine cat? Is he being tended to?" She sat up, although it was obviously hard for her, and her eyes darted around the camp. "Where is he?"

"Stormheart – if that was the tom with you – is dead," Brightstar said gently. "He was dead when we found you."

The she-cat's jaw dropped, and she let out a wail of pain. Cats appeared out of the dens to blink at the strange cat in their camp. Several cats look sympathetic, but others appeared wary.

"We're sorry for your loss," Brightstar said quietly, "but we need to know why you were on our territory. What is your name?"

The queen collapsed to the ground, her eyes misty with emotion. "Silvermist," she whispered. "Stormheart was my mate, father of the kits I bear…we were running away, hoping to come here."

"Why?"

"Creekstar is dead," she said. Several cats gasped in surprise. "Streamfoot is leader now. Streamstar," Silvermist continued. "Her ideas…she wants to stamp out any cat that didn't have full RiverClan blood. She offered Stormheart the deputy position…but he had to cast me and our kits out of the Clan. My mother was half WindClan, you see, and even though I have barely any WindClan in me, Streamstar didn't want me in the Clan. Stormheart wouldn't do it, though, and we had to flee. We tried getting across the river, but it was too deep…." She took a breath.

"Like a new Tigerstar," Tigerpaw heard Firestorm murmur to Snowflight. Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. What did they mean by that?

"Why didn't you go to WindClan, then?" Brightstar asked.

"They wouldn't take us. We already tried, meeting with a WindClan warrior in secret. We knew ShadowClan wouldn't either, so we had hoped…." Silvermist faltered.

"I see," Brightstar said softly. "My deputy and I will need to think this over. Petalcloud will care for you in the meantime." A white she-cat padded out of the medicine cat den and spoke softly to Silvermist, leading her into the den. As soon as Silvermist was out of earshot, chaos broke out.

"Streamstar is crazy!" one warrior shouted, "banishing a queen with kits over a bit of WindClan blood!"

"It's like Tigerstar all over again," one she-cat whispered anxiously.

"She can't stay here, though," another tom argued. "Times are going to be tough as it is. We don't need a RiverClan cat here!"

The Clan continued arguing for some time, until Brightstar sprang up upon the HighRock.

"Silence!" she thundered, and the Clan immediately stopped arguing.

"Now, let us think," Brightstar said. "Why should we take her in?"

"So she can deliver her kits in peace," Dapplefur said. "I love Tigerpaw, and I would never have wanted to deliver him in a strange place. But I would feel better if I was in a Clan, even if it wasn't my own. The kits deserve that at least."

"We can learn more about RiverClan's internal problems from her," Snowflight offered. "We'll need all of the information we can find, for it could turn dangerous for us."

Brightstar nodded. "And so why should we not keep her here?"

"She could betray us, or be lying," Badgerstripe growled. "We don't know if she's telling the truth or not."

"She was with a dead tom, and it was obvious they struggled to come here. Why leave her Clan if she wasn't in danger?" Firestorm argued. Brightstar flicked her tail at him and he said no more, but he looked angry.

"RiverClan might be angry with us for taking in what they think to be a traitor," Birchpelt said. "They could blame us or attack us. Tensions are already high with them and we don't want to risk a war."

"The other Clans are not against us at this moment, however," Duskclaw, the deputy, said. "If it comes to a battle, I think we can defeat RiverClan at this moment. With a new leader and an unknown deputy, they have been thrown into chaos. If the other Clans do choose a side, it might just as easily be us as them. They won't want to risk another TigerClan and LionClan war, after what happened so many years ago. The four Clans know the warning signs now, and I find it unlikely that they would choose to begin what might be another Tigerstar-like reign of terror."

The Clan murmured in agreement.

"So, has it been decided? Shall we allow Silvermist to remain here until things have settled down?" Brightstar asked. Most of the Clan nodded in agreement, although there were a few who did not. Tigerpaw glanced at Viperfang. His face was cool, emotionless, as if he didn't care either way.

"You may return to your duties now," Brightstar said. "I'll tell Silvermist."

"Can I do it?" Tigerpaw asked quickly. He wasn't sure why, exactly, but he felt almost as if he had to make up for Vieprfang's crimes. And then later maybe he could find out what Tigerstar had done before. Both ShadowClan and now RiverClan and ThunderClan had mentioned him, and not in a positive light.

Brightstar seemed surprised for a moment, but then she smiled. "Good idea, Tigerpaw," she said. "I'll leave you to it, then." She sprang off of the HighRock. Tigerpaw stood and padded into the medicine den, glancing around quickly before nodding to Petalcloud and Silvermist. Remembering how she hadn't tried to help him as a kit, he felt a flash of anger, but put it aside for the moment.

"Silvermist, ThunderClan has decided you can stay here, at least until your kits are born and things settle down," Tigerpaw mewed. Silvermist's face relaxed, but her eyes were still dark with grief.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Will I go to the nursery, then? Or the…prisoner den?"

"There's no reason why you can't go to the nursery," Petalcloud said. She had a soft, breezy voice. "It's empty right now, since there is no one expecting."

Silvermist nodded slowly, and then yawned. "I'd like to remain here for the day, if you don't mind," she murmured, and her eyes drooped closed.

"Of course," Petalcloud said, but Silvermist was already asleep. "You may go now, Tigerpaw."

Tigerpaw nodded quickly and padded out of the den. _What to do now? _He wondered. _Find the elders and my past? Or sleep? After all, I am an apprentice. Maybe I'll get a new life tonight!_

The thought cheered him, but he realized it was still some time before the sun would sink. He was too tired to train any longer though, so he headed to the elder's den instead, picking a mouse on his way to please them. He felt a tremble of excitement as he walked. Maybe now he would find out more about his past.


	14. Chapter 12: Truth

12

"Stubtail?" Tigerpaw called as he entered the elder's den. "Blindeye? Grizzlefang?"

"Who is it?" one of the elders rasped, a pale tabby with one milky eye and one sharp amber eye.

"Just me, Tigerpaw," Tigerpaw said quietly. "How are you, Blindeye? How are the others?"

"They're asleep," Blindeye grunted. "What have you brought me? My nose isn't as good as it used to be."

"Just a mouse," Tigerpaw said, nudging it towards her. He waited as she ate.

"Well?" she asked, cleaning her whiskers. "What is it?"

"Do you know who Tigerstar was?" Tigerpaw asked. Blindeye cackled.

"Do I know? Everyone in ThunderClan knows! He was a dark warrior, a traitor to his Clan and an enemy to all."

Tigerpaw had to stop himself from recoiling in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Tigerclaw – that's Tigerstar's warrior name – was always ambitious. He took after his mentor, Thistleclaw, a nasty piece of work if there ever was one. Tigerclaw always appeared to be loyal and true, if a bit hotheaded, until he created a plan to take over ThunderClan. He killed the deputy, Redtail, hoping that Bluestar would make him deputy. She made another cat deputy instead, but he died in a battle against ShadowClan. Tigerclaw was then named deputy, but he wasn't satisfied. He banded together with a bunch of rogues to attack ThunderClan and kill Bluestar to become deputy. A cat named Fireheart foiled him, and Tigerclaw was exiled. He and his rogues later joined ShadowClan, and Tigerclaw became leader.

"He didn't stop there, though. He joined with RiverClan and created TigerClan, based off the old legends. He began wiping out kittypets and half-breeds, and anyone else who he didn't think was loyal. Fireheart – by then Firestar, as Bluestar had passed away – joined his Clan with WindClan and made LionClan to fight TigerClan. But Tigerstar joined with dangerous cats from the city to destroy LionClan. Those cats turned on him and killed him, but refused to leave. In the end TigerClan and LionClan joined together to fight off the city cats. Many lives were lost and many lives destroyed by that one dark tom." Blindeye licked her whiskers again, clearly finished with her story. Tigerpaw was shocked. _It can't be true! _He thought. _It just can't be! How could I do something like that?_

"Thank you, Blindeye," he said quietly. "And, er, what do you know about a cat named Brambleclaw?"

Blindeye blinked at him. "You're full of questions, eh?" she asked. "Brambleclaw was one of Tigerstar's kits. He later became deputy of ThunderClan alongside Firestar. He isn't very important, though." She yawned again, and rested her head on her paws. "It's getting late, and I hear you've had a tough day. Go to your den, then, and rest up."

Tigerpaw nodded quickly. "Thank you," he said again, before leaving the elder's den and padding into the apprentice den.

Foxpaw, Gingerpaw, Whitepaw, and Lionpaw were waiting for him when he arrived.

"You're first day was exciting!" Foxpaw exclaimed. "Report, Tigerclaw."

Tigerpaw almost winced at the name, but controlled himself. He then explained everything that had happened that day. He didn't embellish this time, however, since there were at least three other cats that could prove him wrong.

"Interesting," Foxpaw mused. "That Viperfang really is a piece of work." She winked at Tigerpaw. "You shouldn't have volunteered to tell Silvermist she could stay. Now Brightstar is going to expect you to take care of her all the time."

Tigerpaw blinked. "You think?" he asked.

"It shouldn't be too hard," Gingerpaw said quietly, "just bringing her food and stuff. Most apprentices do it for queens anyway."

Tigerpaw yawned, and then nodded. "I'd like to talk for longer, Foxstar, but I'm really tired after everything that has happened today….You don't mind if I just go to sleep, do you?"

"You may, Tigerclaw," Foxpaw said nobly. "Whitepool, Lionfur, I want both of you rested as well."

"Yes, Foxstar," the three apprentices said quickly. Tigerpaw curled up in his nest, relaxing in the comforting warmth. However, as the youngest apprentice, he was sleeping nearest the apprentice den entrance. Lionpaw and Whitepaw were on the edge as well, while Foxpaw and Gingerpaw slept in the center, enjoying their warmth and supremacy.

_I'll be the oldest apprentice someday, _Tigerpaw said dreamily, _and I'll lead ApprenticeClan. Maybe someday, I'll even lead ThunderClan!_ His eyelids drooped, and he allowed his eyes to close. It took him a little while, but the sounds of his denmates sleeping lulled him into sleep as well.


	15. Chapter 13: Firestar

12

Yes!_ Tigerpaw thought as he recognized the burnt forest he was in. Then, his joy faded as he remembered Blindeye's story. _I might be in more trouble than I realized, _he thought, and padded forward cautiously. He didn't have to wait long._

"_Welcome back, Tigerkit," Tigerstar's voice boomed behind him. "Or should I say Tigerpaw."_

_Tigerpaw turned to face him. Tigerstar frowned. "What is it?" he asked. "You look uncertain, troubled."_

"_Blindeye told me a story," Tigerpaw said slowly. "I did some really terrible things. Or you did. Or…we did, I don't know. But the past was really bad. Lots of cats died and everyone seemed to hate you."_

"_Lies," Tigerstar said coldly. "I told you what really happened. Fireheart was the traitor, but no one realized it and he got me kicked out. Then I was only trying to help purify the forest. I didn't kill anyone, I simply sent them away to another forest where they could live in peace, all of the half-breeds living together. Fireheart was cunning, you see. He waited until the kits that had been young when he was crowned leader were old, and told them lies of what he wanted the future generations to think what really happened. He told them of my so-called 'crimes' and 'evil' to tarnish our family name and to make sure everyone thought he was as great as he desired to be. I betrayed no one, Tigerpaw, and killed no one. Look inside yourself and you will see it to be true."_

I can't look inside myself, _Tigerpaw thought, _not without my memories.

"_Now, let us put this silly matter behind us. Tigerpaw, you are an apprentice, albeit a young one. However, today you showed yourself worthy of another life. Tonight you will gain your second life. It will be hard, but worth it, for this one will unlock many of your memories."_

_Tigerpaw couldn't help but be excited. Now he might be able to see first-hand whether or not he did the terrible things the others think._

_Tigerstar turned to look over his shoulder. A Tigerstar replica padded forward. At first, he looked just like Tigerstar. But as Tigerpaw looked closer, he saw something else in the other Tigerstar, a sort of inner flame within. Without pause, the other Tigerstar padded forward._

"_With this life, I give you compassion," the other Tigerstar said, and touched noses with Tigerpaw. Immediately, Tigerpaw went rigid, as pain wracked his body. Images flew through his head faster than he could process them._

Accompanying a blue-gray cat to meet with a strange orange cat who smelled of kittypet….

Watching as the cat fought a long-tailed warrior and was named Firepaw….

Leading the same orange cat around camp….

Beginning to notice the flame-pelted cat becoming suspicious of his motives….

Watching as Firepaw became Fireheart, watching as Bluestar became even closer to the young warrior….

Watching as Fireheart returned from his mission to bring WindClan back, glowing with pride and accomplishment….

And so, so much more, hatred coursing through his veins as Fireheart interrupted him with Bluestar, hatred as he lay bleeding in the dirt with Fireheart standing over him, hatred as he was banished from ThunderClan, hatred as he swore to wipe them all out….

Then there was the final battle, him facing off against Firestar. And then…darkness.

_The pain slowly leaked away, leaving Tigerpaw dazed and confused. "I don't…understand…." He whispered. "There was a cat – Bluestar, right? – and I was going to kill her when Fireheart stopped me. Doesn't that make him a hero? And what was that life for?"_

"_The life was for compassion, for the compassion you showed to Silvermist," Tigerstar explained. "The rest is harder to explain. You see, Bluestar was losing her touch. She was making bad decisions, such as letting a kittypet into the Clan. He had spirit, I'll give him that, but he wasn't meant to joinm the Clan or rule. I was. I knew it since the day I was born. Tigerpaw, you cannot simply trust your fragmented memories. Gradually, everything will be revealed to you, I promise. Although in the end, you might find that the truth does not matter as much as you think...." He trailed off slowly. "Now, you are weary. You must relax, and gain your strength back. You'll earn another life soon, I'm sure, and more will be revealed to you. Grow stronger, train harder."_

"_I will," Tigerpaw promised, "but I have so many questions! I'm so confused….I don't understand how we could be good when so many think we were evil! Doesn't ShadowClan know us the best? Should I ask them?"_

"_Ask them if you like," Tigerstar said, "but I wouldn't recommend it."_

"_Why?" Tigerpaw shouted, but Tigerstar and the rest of the Dark Forest were already fading away, leaving Tigerpaw all alone in the darkness of the starless sky._


	16. Chapter 14: Fight

14

Tigerpaw woke up, feeling more confused than ever. _In those dreams…I did some bad things, _he thought. _I must have had a good reason for them, but…I just don't understand. _He let out a quiet sigh. _I'll have to try hard to earn another life and find out more, _he decided. _I've gotten one for compassion, and then I guess Brambleclaw's was for cleansing. What else should I try to do? I don't know exactly what lives he will give me, so I cannot try for a certain one. I guess I just have to do what I think is right…which is probably why Tigerstar hasn't told me what they are yet. _

He nodded to himself, satisfied with his own explanation.

"Good morning, Tigerclaw," Foxpaw yawned.

"Good morning, Foxstar," Tigerpaw said with a respectful nod. "How did you sleep?"

Foxpaw shrugged. "I had some strange dreams, I guess," she said. "How about you?"

_Strange doesn't even begin to cut it, _Tigerpaw thought, but he answered, "fine, just fine."

"That's good," Foxpaw said with a yawn. "I'm sure all of the apprentices will be training early today, with all the trouble about RiverClan and all. Speaking of RiverClan, you should check with Silvermist. If Brighstar sees you taking care of her, she might decide to let you go to the Gathering."

"The Gathering?" Tigerpaw echoed, feeling excited. "When is it?"

"Next time you see the moon, figure it out for yourself," Foxpaw said mysteriously, before getting to her paws. "I'm going to get me a bite to eat before Patchpelt comes to get me." She nudged her sleeping sister, but Gingerpaw just growled and turned over. Foxpaw nipped her ear, before padding out of the apprentice den.

Tigerpaw waited for a moment, relaxing in the warmth of his nest, before he too got to his paws. It would be best to follow Foxpaw's lead; she had the most experience, after all.

He picked out a fluffy squirrel, but then remembered Silvermist. Instead of eating it, he clutched it in his jaws and trotted to the medicine den.

"Good morning, Silvermist," he purred. The pretty silver she-cat blinked awake, and looked at him curiously.

"I brought you breakfast," Tigerpaw explained, setting the squirrel down and nudging it towards her. "Eat up, and then you can move to the nursery. There's a lot more space there."

Silvermist seemed taken aback by his kindness, but she began to eat. While she did, she watched him thoughtfully. "You're the tom that came in yesterday, right?" she asked. "One of the ones that found me, too."

Tigerpaw nodded, ignoring his own tummy's rumble.

"Thank you," Silvermist said quietly, blinking at him with misty blue eyes. "It's nice that someone in ThunderClan cares."

"A lot of cats care," Tigerpaw said quietly, feeling his face heat up under the pretty cat's gaze.

Petalcloud entered the den, a clump of herbs in her jaws. "You've eaten?" she asked. "Good! I'm glad to see you're taking care of her, Tigerpaw. Continue to take care of her until she kits, and I'll see that Brightstar hears about it." Petalcloud winked at him. "It shouldn't be too long. Now, eat these. They'll help you with milk for the youngsters." She pushed some leaves towards Silvermist. Silvermist ate them, but wrinkled her nose at the taste.

"I want you to stay in the nursery until you kit, just to be safe," Petalcloud continued. "There aren't any more queens or kits, so you can kit there in privacy. I'll be with you, don't worry. Tigerpaw will bring you prey and borage leaves each morning and prey each afternoon so you'll have plenty of milk for your kits when they come."

Tigerpaw and Silvermist both nodded in unison. "Come on," Tigerpaw said, "I'll lead you to the nursery." He padded out of the den, with Silvermist following him a little bit behind. She looked at her paws, not wanting to look at any of the ThunderClan cats watching them. Tigerpaw kept his chin up, regarding the intimidating looks from the other warriors with cold indifference.

He led her into the nursery. "I'll bring you some moss," he promised.

"I want to help," Lionpaw said quietly, near the fresh-kill pile. Tigerpaw blinked at him in surprise. "I feel guilty for Viperfang not helping her," Lionpaw said, standing up, "and I know where good moss is. Come on."

Tigerpaw followed Lionpaw out of the camp, feeling faintly uneasy as he did so. Lionpaw led him down a well-trodden path, towards a giant rock covered in moss.

"The best moss is underneath the rock," Lionpaw said, and began scooping out moss from the dark earth with one paw. Tigerpaw followed his lead. The earth was smooth and cool; it felt nice.

"You think you're special, don't you?" Lionpaw asked. His voice was cold. Tigerpaw turned to look at him.

"What?"

"You snuck off to ShadowClan and were captured, but you weren't punished," Lionpaw said bitterly. "You're the hero who helped find the wounded RiverClan cat, and now you're helping her out of the goodness of your heart so you can go to a Gathering. You're like the Clan's golden boy now, and where does that leave me?" He turned to Tigerpaw, fangs bared. "You had just better watch out, son of a traitor," he hissed. "Because I'm going to make a comeback. Then I'll be ThunderClan's prize apprentice, and they'll see you as the little hopeless piece of crowfood that you are."

Tigerpaw was at first taken aback by the venom in Lionpaw's voice. But when he called Tigerpaw's father a traitor, Tigerpaw bristled. "Take that back!" Tigerpaw snarled, advancing on the golden apprentice.

"Make me, kittypet!" Lionpaw exclaimed. Lionpaw tensed to spring at him, and Tigerpaw readied himself, before a voice spoke his mind. _Compassion. _

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise, remembering the life he had just been given. _I've got two and he only has one! _Tigerpaw thought. _I can take him on easily. _But then, he remembered what the second life had been for; showing compassion to Silvermist, even if she wasn't in his Clan. And here he was, about to attack one of his Clanmates! Sure, Lionpaw had asked for it, but it wasn't what Tigerstar would do, surely.

"What are you waiting for, kittypet?" Lionpaw growled.

"I'm not going to fight you," Tigerpaw said simply, picking up his moss. "You aren't worth it, and we need to be strong to face RiverClan." With that, he turned away and began walking back to camp.

"Scared, kittypet?" Lionpaw jeered behind him. "What's the matter? Are you as much of a coward as your father?"

Tigerpaw stopped dead, and Lionpaw realized he had hit gold. "You know what they say, don't you?" Lionpaw called. "He was a coward and a traitor, running away from a battle. They say he was even going to join ShadowClan so he wouldn't have to fight them! They say he had a ShadowClan mate and made a bunch of ugly half-breed children!"

"Shut up!" Tigerpaw roared, dropping his moss. He turned and charged at Lionpaw, springing forward with paws outstretched. Lionpaw met him head on, and they rolled backwards, spitting and clawing at each other, trying to rip each other to shreds.

"What is going on here?" a male voice hissed. The two apprentices took no notice, until firm jaws grasped onto Lionpaw's scruff and dragged him away. It was Patchpelt, with Foxpaw. Foxpaw's eyes were wide with fright.

"What are you doing, trying to rip each other to shreds?" Patchpelt demanded.

"He was saying foxdung about my father!" Tigerpaw roared.

"I was not! He's crazy! I was showing him where to find moss, and he attacked me!" Lionpaw protested.

"Shut up, both of you! You're acting like spoiled kits! Now I would get Brightstar to sort you two out, but she has better things to be doing right now. Both of you bring your moss back and help Silvermist with her nest. Then, I want both of you to take care of the elders for the rest of the day. Groom them, check them for ticks and fleas, make their beds, everything! Understand?"

"Yes," both apprentices said sullenly.

"Now go to Petalcloud. It looks like your ear is torn, Tigerpaw, and that's a deep bite on your shoulder, Lionpaw."

"Yes, sir," both apprentices said again, getting to their paws.

"Come on, Foxpaw," Patchpelt said, before stalking away crossly. Foxpaw shot both of them a dirty look, before following her mentor. Tigerpaw and Lionpaw headed back to camp. Tigerpaw didn't dare look at the golden apprentice, for fear that he might not be able to control himself and attack again. Tigerpaw's tail drooped. There was no chance he would get to go to the Gathering now.

**AN: Silvermist's kits will be here soon? Any ideas for their names/appearances? Send me your ideas, either through review or PM!**


	17. Chapter 15: Reflection

15

Lionpaw stalked into Silvermist's den several pawsteps before Tigerpaw.

"Here," he grunted, tossing the moss towards her. He then padded out.

"We're supposed to help her make her nest," Tigerpaw growled.

"Then you do it," Lionpaw spat. "I'm going to Petalcloud." Tigerpaw's eyes narrowed as Lionpaw stalked away. He turned back to Silvermist.

"I'll help you, then," he said. Silvermist waved him away.

"Tend to yourself first," she said. "It looks like you'll have a nick in that ear. Let Petalcloud help you; I can make my own nest. I may be carrying kits, but it doesn't mean I'm one of them." She let out a quiet purr. Tigerpaw nodded and padded out of the nursery, into Petalcloud's den. Lionpaw was lying down, and Petalcloud was wrapping the bite on his shoulder with cobwebs.

"You too?" Petalcloud said with a sigh. "Apprentices," she grumbled under her breath. "Come here, then. Lionpaw, just sit still. I've bound the worst wounds, but you need to allow the marigold juice to sit for awhile."

She turned back to Tigerpaw and glanced him over. "A few claw and bite marks, but nothing too serious. That ear of your worries me, though. Hang on." She soaked several cobwebs in marigold juice, before dabbing them on Tigerpaw's wounds, binding them. Tigerpaw let out a hiss of pain as she touched his torn ear. It stung badly. Finally, Petalcloud drew back. "Lionpaw, you can go now," she said, turning back to her herbs. Lie down awhile and let the marigold do its job, Tigerpaw. Then you can go too."

Tigerpaw sighed quietly, and then relaxed on the earth with a slight yawn. All he had to look forward to was taking care of the elders, anyway. Although, it would give him a chance to try and learn more about his past life, and make sense of this crazy mess.

Eventually, Petalcloud dismissed him from the den. He checked on Silvermist first, making sure she was comfortable. She had made her nest while he was gone, and assured him that she was fine. He promised to bring her back some prey later, and then padded to the elder's den. Lionpaw was grooming Blindeye's fur, a look of disgust on his face. Tigerpaw sat down next to Stubtail.

"I think I have some fleas," the elder said tiredly. "Check, will you? And scratch my shoulder while you're at it." Tigerpaw sighed quietly, but began running his paws through the elder's patchy fur. He felt Stubtail relax under his paws, and almost felt good. What must it be like, to be so old you couldn't hunt or fight? To be thought of as a punishment for apprentices? Tigerpaw felt sad. It would be terrible to live like that. He hoped he would die in battle or something, something to serve his Clan. Maybe dying to protect kits, or something, that would be noble and stuff. He wanted to be important when he died.

He glanced at Lionpaw, but Lionpaw seemed disgusted rather than solemn. Tigerpaw felt a rush of dislike. He had tried to give Lionpaw a chance, he really had, but he just couldn't learn to like the arrogant, cruel apprentice. Tigerpaw felt a pang of sorrow for Whitepaw, having to be related to him.

"Eww, a tick!" Lionpaw exclaimed, drawing back with horror. "Gross!"

Blindeye opened her good eye. "Yes, apprentice," she said crossly. "When you can't groom yourself everywhere, you do tend to get ticks."

"I'm not pulling that out!" Lionpaw said, backing away.

"I will," Tigerpaw offered.

"No," Blindeye growled. "You need mousebile to kill it first, or the head will remain, and I don't want a tick's head embedded in my flesh, thank you very much. Go get some from Petalcloud."

Tigerpaw nodded and padded into Petalcloud's den.

"You again?" Petalcloud asked, exasperated. "What is it this time?"

"I'm not hurt, I just need some mousebile," Tigerpaw said. "Blindeye has a tick."

"Right," Petalcloud said. "Fine, put this on your paws. Be careful, it is incredibly foul. Wash it off in a stream later or something."

"Okay," Tigerpaw said, and dabbed his paw in the mousebile. He padded back to Blindeye carefully, and put the mousebile over the tick. Within moments, it was dead, and he got it off with his teeth.

"Thank you, Tigerpaw," Blindeye purred, closing her eyes again. "You can go. Wash that mousebile out, though!"

"I will," Tigerpaw promised. He was halfway out of camp before he realized he hadn't asked any of them about Tigerstar or Firestar.

Tigerpaw dabbed his paws in the water, washing the mousebile off. He blinked in surprise when he saw his reflection. It had been a long time since he had seen himself, and he realized he looked a lot like Tigerstar now, since he was older. The nick in his ear was exactly where Tigerstar's was on his ear. Tigerpaw felt sad, strangely enough. Did this mean that even with making his own choices, he was doomed to end up the same way?

_Why me? _He thought. _Why did this have to happen to me? I have no idea what's the truth, or what the right choice is, or what to do….No one can help me, and I'm clueless. I'm only five moons old still, for StarClan's sake! _He felt despair well up inside of him, but forced it down. Despairing wouldn't help. He needed to think. Although, a little guidance would be nice….

Suddenly, an idea hit him. What about StarClan? Couldn't he speak with them? Medicine cats and leaders did, after all. Why couldn't he?

Tigerpaw sprang to his paws and dashed back to camp, his heart racing with excitement.

**AN: Thanks for the response to my last question! There will be kits: Minnowkit, Swiftkit, Stormkit, and Creek-kit. What they look like and their genders remain to be seen!**

**Sorry to everyone who didn't get their character/description used. They might still be used later in the story for another litter. I'm going to be working on another fic once this one is completed though, so who knows? Maybe you'll see them there….**


	18. Chapter 16: Highstones

16

"Petalcloud!" Tigerpaw exclaimed, bursting into the medicine den. He had always thought medicine cats were even-tempered, but Petalcloud's eyes burned with what almost appeared to be anger.

"What is it now, Tigerpaw?" she snapped. "I was mixing herbs!"

"Leaders and medicine cats speak with StarClan, right?" Tigerpaw blurted, unafraid of Petalcloud. "How do they do it? Where do they do it?"

"Why does it matter now? You'll see when your older. All cats have to make the trip to Highstones before they can be warriors."

"Highstones? What's that?"

Petalcloud sighed quietly. "Highstones is a rocky place that used to be owned by Twolegs. It's abandoned now. Inside of a large cave is a giant rock that shines with the power of the stars. Touching it sends cats to sleep and they dream of StarClan. Is that all?"

"Well, where is it?" Tigerpaw asked. Petalcloud's eyes narrowed.

"In between WindClan and ShadowClan territory," she replied. "Now, that's all I'm going to tell you. The last thing ThunderClan needs is an apprentice running off to the Highstones by himself, so stay put, understand?"

It was too late, however; Tigerpaw was already gone. He was heading to the camp entrance, when he paused. All apprentices had to make the journey before they became warriors. So, why shouldn't he take the others with him? That way they could all become warriors that much sooner! Cheered by the idea, he glanced around camp, trying to spot the others. Lionpaw and Whitepaw were nowhere to be seen, but Foxpaw and Gingerpaw were eating together. Tigerpaw padded over to them.

"I have something important to ask," he whispered. Foxpaw simply ignored him, eating her mouse silently. Tigerpaw felt a pulse of anger, but ignored it. "Please, Foxstar, it's important!" he pleaded. She sighed quietly.

"Fine," she grumbled, and nosed Gingerpaw. "Let's go to the den though, if it's so important."

Tigerpaw followed the two ginger she-cats into the apprentice den. "Well, what is it?" Foxpaw asked.

"Why were you ignoring me?" Tigerpaw asked.

"Patchpelt was angry and he took it out on me," Foxpaw grumbled. "He's got a temper, that one."

"Cinderfur does too," Gingerpaw said. "Well, not a temper exactly, but she's mean-spirited."

Tigerpaw blinked at her. She looked at her paws. "Well, er, you know apprentices have to go to the Highstones to be warriors?" he asked. Foxpaw nodded.

"Yeah, everyone knows that. What about it?"

"Well, I'm going," Tigerpaw whispered. Foxpaw and Gingerpaw blinked in surprise.

"You're mentors are taking you already? Patchpelt hasn't even mentioned it to me!" Foxpaw exclaimed.

"Well, no, I'm going alone. I need to speak to StarClan, see. I need their guidance." Foxpaw simply snorted, and Tigerpaw realized he was losing her quickly.

"I don't want to go alone, you have to go through enemy territory and stuff," he said. Gingerpaw winced, and he knew he said the wrong thing. "I just want someone to come with me," he finished lamely.

"No way, it's dangerous! We'll get in trouble!" Gingerpaw exclaimed.

"Please, Foxstar. You're brave and tough. It will be an adventure!" Tigerpaw pleaded. Foxpaw seemed to be considering it.

"I do like adventure," she said slowly.

"Patchpelt will be impressed," Tigerpaw assured her, and Foxpaw smiled.

"Fine," she said, "but it was your idea, remember that. Where is it?"

"Between WindClan and ShadowClan territory," Tigerpaw said. "That's all Petalcloud would tell me."

"The Thunderpath is there, though," Foxpaw said, and then shrugged. "How hard can it be to find a giant pile of rocks?"

"You're both mouse-brained," Gingerpaw said in disgust. "Fine, have fun."

"You mustn't tell," Tigerpaw warned her.

"Yeah, or I'll bite you when you're sleeping," Foxpaw said, giving her sister a playful nip.

"I'll be sleeping," Gingerpaw said, curling up in her nest. Foxpaw rolled her eyes, and nudged Tigerpaw.

"Come on, then," she said. "Let's go."

* * *

"We aren't going to WindClan territory," Foxpaw said as they padded through the forest. "Where are we going?"

"ShadowClan," Tigerpaw replied. "I've never met WindClan, and ShadowClan seems nicer. They can't stop us if we're going to Highstones, remember?"

"ShadowClan? Nicer? Just because they didn't kill you for trespassing doesn't make them nice!"

Tigerpaw simply shrugged in reply. The scent of the Thunderpath soon grew, and it came into sight. Monsters rushed up and down rapidly. Foxpaw flinched slightly, and Tigerpaw nudged her with his shoulder gently.

"Don't worry, it just looks worse than it really is," he assured her. Then, he remembered what Fogwind had said; there was a tunnel under the Thunderpath. "I think there's a tunnel," he said quietly. "We should look if it won't take too long."

Foxpaw nodded, and the two of them searched around the Thunderpath. They couldn't find any mysterious tunnel, however, and Tigerpaw didn't want to take too long. He was afraid they'd be missed. They had no choice but to cross.

Tigerpaw watched the monsters, waiting for a lull. "Go!" he shouted, and Foxpaw sprang forward, darting across. She reached the other side safely, and Tigerpaw let another monster go through before racing over as well.

They began padding together through the marshy forest.

"Gross," Foxpaw said, wrinkling her nose s they walked. "Now I'll stink like ShadowClan."

"Stink like what?" a voice growled behind them. Tigerpaw and Foxpaw turned. A she-cat was facing them down with a growl, claws unsheathed and fur bristling.

"And you ThunderClan cats think _we _stink?" she asked.

Foxpaw's fur bristled. "We're going to Highstones!" she said.

"Right," the she-cat snorted. "Through ShadowClan territory? Ever since we let that kit go without a fight, ThunderClan thinks they practically own our territory. Well, we'll make you both an example, won't we?"

"You aren't allowed to stop us from going to Highstones," Tigerpaw said, taking a step forward.

"Well!" another voice purred nearby. It sounded strangely familiar. A black she-cat stepped forward. "If it isn't little Tigerkit! You've grown. Larksong, this is the kit I told you about."

"Blackheart!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. "I'm Tiger_paw_ now, by the way."

"I see," Blackheart blinked at Foxpaw. "Who is your little friend?"

"I'm Foxpaw, and I'm two moons older than him," Foxpaw growled. Blackheart blinked in surprise.

"I see, I see." She turned to Larksong. "I think I can handle these two dangerous apprentices," she said with a wink. Larksong let out a quiet growl, but nodded at the ShadowClan deputy, and stalking away.

"She's a furball," Blackheart said calmly. "So, why are you going to Highstones? You're a little young, eh?"

"It's a new ThunderClan thing," Tigerpaw lied. "Apprentices have to find their ways alone."

Blackheart smiled. "'bout time they caught on. We've been doing that for moons. We're nearby, so we had to make it at least a little difficult." She winked at Tigerpaw. "And that, unlike everything else I told you, is the honest truth."

She pointed her muzzle north. "Highstones is that way. That's all the help I can give you, really. Make sure to watch out for the second Thunderpath."

Foxpaw blanched. "S-second Thunderpath?" she stammered.

Blackheart nodded. "Now, I'm a bust cat, okay? So I can't come with you or escort you through the territory. I warn you, if we catch you nosing around where you don't belong, ThunderClan will be in trouble. If anyone stops you, tell 'em Blackheart let you through, but you promised to just go to Highstones. They'll ask me about it, so don't lie."

Foxpaw and Tigerpaw nodded together. "Thank you for trusting us, Blackheart," Tigerpaw said. Blackheart nodded.

"You're just lucky you were such a cute kit," Blackheart said and winked again, before padding after Larksong.

"I think she's a bit crazy," Foxpaw said.

"Aren't we all?" Tigerpaw replied.


	19. Chapter 17: Father

17

Tigerpaw and Foxpaw padded together, side by side, trying to continue north like they had been going before. It was a bit difficult, though; since it was early and the stars weren't out and the sun was directly above their heads, they couldn't look at anything in the sky for direction. They just had to trust themselves, and walk into the wind; it was said that in ShadowClan the wind always blew from the north, after all.

A stench rose in their nostrils, making Foxpaw wrinkle her nose again. "I hate Thunderpaths," she grumbled, as another came into view. This one was somewhat smaller than the Thunderpath on ThunderClan territory; it was less busy as well.

Foxpaw approached it cautiously at first, but made it over without any trouble other than slightly scraping her pads on the rough surface. She turned and nodded to him quickly. Strangely, Tigerpaw felt a surge of hatred as he saw her green eyes and ginger pelt. _What was that? _He wondered. _She's my friend. I could never hate her._ He raced over the Thunderpath quickly. She didn't notice anything was amiss, and simply padded in front of him. Tigerpaw followed her, feeling worried. What was happening to him on the inside?

What appeared to be mountains rose off into the distance, but that wasn't where Tigerpaw and Foxpaw were headed. Their path was clear; there was a well-trodden rocky path leading to the mouth of a large cave. They glanced at each other, and followed the path up the side of a rocky slope.

"I'm scared," Foxpaw whispered. Tigerpaw pressed his pelt against hers, and they walked into the darkness together.

"Let's go!" Foxpaw shouted, after they took a few pawsteps into the cave. "We can be warriors when the time comes now. Let's just go home!"

"No," Tigerpaw said quietly. "I need to speak to StarClan, okay?"

"Why?"

"I just need to. It's personal."

"Do you want to see your dad?" Foxpaw asked softly. Tigerpaw was silent for a moment.

"Yes," he said finally.

"Okay. I'll wait outside. Don't get lost," Foxpaw said. Tigerpaw heard her moving past him, towards the entrance. He padded further into the darkness alone, keeping his check to the stone wall so he wouldn't wander away and become lost.

Brilliant light suddenly surged into his vision, and he was forced to squint. A huge rock glittered in front of him, lit by the light of the sun. It glittered as if it contained all of the stars within it. _No wonder warriors are supposed to come at night! _He thought. _I can barely see, the rock is so bright with the light of the sun! _ He stepped up to it and squinted at it. He froze for a moment, unable to move forward and touch the stone. A sudden fear rose up within him, and he wanted to run back out of the cave screaming. But, he let out a growl and moved forward so quickly he let out a yelp of pain as his nose touched the stone. Nothing happened, and Tigerpaw sighed quietly, resting his head on his paws and his nose on the stone. His eyelid drooped. _Foxpaw's probably worried, _he thought, and closed his eyes. _The sooner this is over with, the better._

_He finally opened his eyes, deciding that the Moonstone must not work doing the day. His eyes widened as he found himself in a large field. He blinked with confusion, glancing around him quickly. The clearing appeared to be in a bright, lush forest, an odd parallel to the one where Tigerstar lurked._

"_I'm in StarClan," Tigerpaw breathed, the wonder evident in his voice. He took a step forward, enjoying the springy grass on his paws. "Hello?" he called into the forest. Unlike the Dark Forest, this one was abuzz with the sounds of insects and birds singing together. "Hello? I'm looking for my father. Can anyone help me?" He received no answer, and padded forward, peering between the fronds of a fern. "Hello?" he called again._

"_Tigerpaw," a voice murmured behind him. Tigerpaw turned, and his eyes widened. A large tabby tom was sitting in the clearing behind him, where he had been only moments before. His amber eyes were soft as he looked at Tigerpaw._

"_F-father?" Tigerpaw stammered. "Is that you?"_

"_Aye," the tom replied._

_Tigerpaw hesitated, and then rushed forward, burying his face in his father's fur. His father went rigid with surprise, and then softened, licking Tigerpaw's head._

"_You had best hurry, son," the tom said. "Time's wasting and you've got questions for me."_

_Tigerpaw drew back, his eyes faintly misty. "I have so many questions," he said, and then let out a sigh, trying to think clearly. He wanted nothing more than to sob into his father's fur and memorize his scent, but time was short. "Tigerstar's been coming to me in my dreams and I've been earning eight lives," he said quickly, rushing to get the words out. "Only, I've been hearing things and I'm starting to think that he wasn't such a good cat after all and I'm scared and worried and it feels like I have no control and I'm lost without a clue!" He took a deep breath, feeling somewhat lighter as he relieved his feelings. His father was silent for a moment._

"_There isn't much I can tell you," he said finally. "StarClan knew about this since he gave you your first life, but we've done nothing. You weren't supposed to have any memories, you know; you were supposed to make your own choices and go by your own path. Your past lives have complicated things, though…You have to make your own choice. All I can say is that you had better choose carefully."_

_Tigerpaw was disappointed. He had hoped for something better. "Okay," he said, and was quiet for a moment, thinking of his next question. "Father, ever since Firestar gave me a life – or at least the shadowy thing of him did – I've been seeing Foxpaw strangely. I get angry when I see her, and I don't know why…."_

"_The ginger apprentice?" his father asked, and Tigerpaw nodded. "She's descended from Firestar himself," his father said bluntly. "It doesn't matter much anymore and it doesn't make her more special than any other cat, but she has his looks. The Tigerstar within you recognizes him in her, and hates her. Your own feelings are probably quite different."_

"_Isn't there anything I can do?" Tigerpaw asked. "I can't hate her, she's like my best friend now!"_

_His father shrugged. "Choices," he said simply._

_Tigerpaw was quiet again, summoning up the willpower to ask the question he so desperately wanted answered. "Father," he said finally, "why did you leave me when I was just a baby? I never even got to meet you! And they say you ran away, to ShadowClan…is that true?"_

_His father closed his eyes. "I didn't want to leave you son, or your mother. I loved her so much it made my heart ache when I had to leave for battle…I would have run, if it meant living for the two of you. But I didn't run away, son, I swear you that."_

"_You died in battle, then?" Tigerpaw asked eagerly. "With honor?"_

"_I died on the Thunderpath," he replied, and let out a quiet sigh. "But not with honor. I failed."_

"_Failed to do what?"_

_His father opened his eyes. "I can't tell you anything more, son, it might affect your choices later. I know I haven't been helpful today and I know I left you and your mother so early…I'm sorry." He stood. "You have to go."_

"_I don't want to go! I just met you!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. His father began to fade. "Don't go!" Tigerpaw cried._

"Don't…go…." He murmured, opening his eyes. The loss of his father hit him again as it had when he was just a kit, told that he would never meet his father. He clamped his jaws shut, unwilling to wail as his heart wanted to. He sat there for a moment, his fur sparkling with the Moonstone's light. He tried pressing his nose to it and closing his eyes again, but he couldn't get back to StarClan.

Tigerpaw finally stood and padded away from the sacred cavern, his heart as heavy as the Moonstone itself.


	20. Chapter 18: The Barn

18

Tigerpaw was surprised to see the sun was setting as he left the cave. Foxpaw sprang to her paws.

"Tigerpaw!" she exclaimed, and rushed forward, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "I thought you were lost, but I was too scared to go in…." As Tigerpaw gazed at her, he felt a mixture of pleasure and hatred swirling within him. He forced the hatred down; this was Foxpaw, not Firestar.

"There's nothing to be scared of," he said. "It's just a rock."

"I know," Foxpaw said quietly, "and I trust StarClan. I'm not scared of them or anything. I'm scared of being lost. There are tunnels there, they say, lots of tunnels. You can get lost." She shuddered. "That's my greatest fear; to be lost."

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise; he hadn't realized this. "Well, it doesn't really matter," he said. "We're both safe and fine. Come on, let's hurry home. I'm tired, and we've definitely been missed by now."

Foxpaw yawned slowly. "We won't make it home anytime soon," she said. "I'm sure Fawndapple is worried sick…as we both know how your mother is."

"Yeah," Tigerpaw sighed. "Well, let's just hurry and get home as soon as we can."

Foxpaw nodded, and the two of them padded out of the rocky Highstones together.

"I don't want to go over both Thunderpaths," Foxpaw complained, "and ShadowClan's territory is too scary in the dark. We can't make it through all night, and I don't want to sleep in their territory."

Tigerpaw nodded slowly. "There's supposed to be an old barn nearby," he said. "It's abandoned now, I think, but Twolegs used to live there. Barn cats did, too. We'll have to cross one Thunderpath, though."

"So long as we can sleep somewhere safe, I'll do anything," Foxpaw sighed. Tigerpaw nodded, and the two of them moved swiftly, reaching the Thunderpath quickly. It was surprisingly easy to get across; there were few cars buzzing about. It only took a couple hundred pawsteps, before an old Twoleg nest came into view. It was in disrepair, with the room sagging and the door completely missing, but it didn't matter to the two apprentices. Once inside they immediately collapsed into the age-old hay, breathing in the musty scent of mice that had slept there not long ago.

"I'll catch us a mouse," Foxpaw murmured. Tigerpaw licked her shoulder.

"No, just rest," he said. "It's my fault we're out here tonight; I'll catch the prey." Foxpaw simply nodded, her eyes drooping closed. Tigerpaw nuzzled her, before getting to his paws and stumbling after a mouse. He missed the first few mice, exhaustion bogging him down, until he came upon a mouse-nest under a fallen plank of wood resting against the wall. Many baby mice huddled together, squeaking. The mother stared him down for a moment, but when he approached, she scurried away. Tigerpaw felt a slight pang as he killed the first baby mouse. He imagined a kit's bones giving way under his fangs, and shuddered. But if he didn't eat them and gain strength, he wouldn't be able to catch anything for Foxpaw, and she was depending on him. He finished the litter, knowing the mother probably wouldn't return even if he left a few alive. Feeling slightly sick to his stomach, he managed to catch a plump mouse for Foxpaw. She was asleep, and Tigerpaw hesitated, not wanting to wake her. Her sleep was light, though, for she woke at the scent of prey.

"Thanks," she said quietly, and dug into the mouse. "Catch one for yourself?"

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said, unable to admit that he had killed a litter of mouse-babies. He curled up beside her.

"Are you sure you don't want any?" she mumbled around a mouthful of mouse.

"I'm good, really," Tigerpaw murmured. His eyes drooped closed as Foxpaw's pelt warmed his own.

_He was in a forest, he knew as soon as his paws touched the earth. But which one? He opened his eyes. The Dark Forest greeted him, somehow seeming more dangerous and empty, after he had seen the life-filled forest that StarClan had shown him before._

"_Tigerpaw," he heard Tigerstar growled. Tigerpaw turned quickly._

"_You were reckless today, endangering your life," Tigerstar growled. "Fighting Lionpaw, going to find StarClan for yourself…what were you thinking?"_

_Tigerpaw bristled. "He insulted my father!" Tigerpaw retorted, "and everything is too confusing. I needed answers."_

"_Did you find them?" Tigerstar demanded._

_Tigerpaw looked away from him. "No," he said, and then his fur bristled again. "And now you're bothering me when I'm awake!" he exclaimed. "I didn't know this would happen! I can't hate Foxpaw!"_

_Tigerstar blinked in surprise. "What?"_

"_I feel hatred when I look at Foxpaw now, but she's still my best friend. My father said it was the Tigerstar in me, seeing the Firestar in her."_

"_That much influence…so soon…." Tigerstar murmured, more to himself than Tigerpaw. "I'm sorry, Tigerpaw. There isn't much I can do for you, but you can master your own feelings, can you not?"_

_Tigerpaw bit back a retort. "I just want to sleep in peace," he snapped. Tigerstar seemed surprised again, and then his amber eyes grew cold._

"_As you wish," he retorted with a growl. Almost instantly, he began to fade, along with the rest of the forest. Tigerpaw was surprised to know that for once, he wasn't sorry._

Tigerpaw awoke, blinking up at the starry sigh. Exhaustion washed over him again, and he simply turned on his side, fading back into sleep once more.


	21. Chapter 19: WindClan

19

Tigerpaw awoke to a nudge early in the morning, thanks to a nudge from Foxpaw. She blinked at him bright, and nuzzled his cheek.

"Come on," she said. "We'll have to go through WindClan territory now. Let's hurry; hopefully we won't have to run into anyone on the way."

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said, and yawned. "Can we catch a mouse before we go?"

Foxpaw let out an amused purr, and the two of them hunted for a short time, catching a mouse each in no time at all. They then left the old, run-down barn, and began to pad through the field that would lead them to WindClan.

"There used to be Twolegs around here," Foxpaw warned with a careful glance around the area. "They used to have dogs, giant slobbering beasts that killed everything in their paths."

Tigerpaw couldn't help but shudder. "If the barn is any sign, then Twolegs are long gone from this area," he said. Foxpaw nodded, but still appeared nervous.

The scent of WindClan washed over them as they entered a line of trees. Soon, the trees gave way to open moor, windswept plains. They could smell rabbits nearby, but they were too full from the mice to really care. Tigerpaw, being used to the safety of the forest, felt horribly exposed. They made their way to the edge of the Thunderpath and followed it closely, not wanting to get lost. WindClan's territory was the smallest of all, and it wouldn't take them long to get back to ThunderClan. Or, so they hoped.

The wind changed suddenly, blowing towards them. Tigerpaw's eyes widened in alarm as strong WindClan scents became apparent in his nose.

"WindClan!" he exclaimed to Foxpaw, but almost as soon as the words left his lips, a blurred form tackled Foxpaw and knocked her down.

"ThunderClan scum!" the she-cat hissed from on top of Foxpaw. "Trespassing on every Clan's territory now, are you?"

"Get off of her!" Tigerpaw snarled and prepared to spring, only to find a sudden crushing weight on him as well.

"Hang on!" Foxpaw yelped. "Please! We're just apprentices."

Tigerpaw thrashed. "We are coming back from Highstones!"

"A likely story," the she-cat hissed, her claws digging into Foxpaw's shoulder. Rage flared up inside of Tigerpaw.

"Get off of her!" Tigerpaw even more wildly, he managed to throw the tom that was pinning him down off. He rushed to Foxpaw's aid, tackling the she-cat standing over her. He raked his claws down her muzzle. She let out a furious snarl and lashed out at him with her claws, catching him on the nose. Tigerpaw drew back, and snarled. Behind him, he heard the WindClan tom drawing closer to Foxpaw. He felt a pang of fear. This was not a battle they could win.

"Hang on, hang on!" a female voice scolded. "Both of you! These are just apprentices!"

"Stay back, Owlfeather," the she-cat facing off against Tigerpaw warned. "They're dangerous."

A black and white she-cat came into view, blinking at the ThunderClan apprentices curiously. "They're just younglings," she said. "Hang on Fernfrost, Falconclaw. Let's give them a chance!"

Both WindClan warriors hissed, but stepped back, listening to Owlfeather. _Is she the deputy? _Tigerpaw wondered.

"I'm WindClan's medicine cat," Owlfeather explained. "These two were accompanying me while I gathered herbs. There have been many RiverClan scents near our borders recently, and we're a bit worried now, understandably. Why are you here?"

"We went to Highstones," Tigerpaw said, inching closer to Foxpaw. He pressed his pelt against hers. "To make our journey that all apprentices must make."

Owlfeather blinked in surprise. "You both look rather young," she said, and then shrugged. "It is not our business, I suppose…you're very close to Fourtrees now. You'll be home soon."

"You're letting them go?" Fernfrost hissed in disbelief.

"_We're _letting them go," Owlfeather corrected her. "I'm sure they've had enough trouble, and you two gave them quite a clawing." She nodded to the two apprentices. "Run along now, you two."

"And don't let us ever catch your scent here again," Falconclaw hissed. Tigerpaw and Foxpaw both nodded quickly, before dashing away. Tigerpaw heard Fernfrost laugh behind them, probably at how slow they were compared to WindClan.

"We nearly died!" Foxpaw whispered. "I can't believe it!"

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said quietly.

"Thanks for helping me. You were brave." Foxpaw licked his cheek with a purr. "My hero."

Tigerpaw blushed under his dark fur, but said nothing in reply. He didn't have to.

* * *

Fourtrees rose in front of them, as did the stream around it. They avoided Fourtrees entirely; no matter how interesting and tempting it was to explore, they couldn't now. They needed to be home, home where they belonged.

When ThunderClan's scent rolled over them both as they crossed the border, it was like a breath of fresh air.

"Who knew you could miss smells this much?" Foxpaw marveled. "Or trees? Or forest prey? Or the _trees?"_

"It's great to be home," Tigerpaw agreed, but he was worried. What would happen when they arrived home? Would they be in trouble? They had really gained nothing from this trip, not all of the knowledge and answers that Tigerpaw had hoped to find. Really, it had been a waste of time, except for seeing Blackheart again. That had been nice.

The gorse tunnel that led to ThunderClan camp appeared. Both apprentices charged towards it, entering camp and gulping in the scents as quickly as their brains could process it.

"Home home home," Foxpaw murmured under her breath.

"Foxpaw!" they heard Gingerpaw cry. She raced forward, burying her face in her sister's fur. "I thought you were dead!"

"We're fine," Foxpaw said.

"Oh, Tigerpaw! You look awful!" Whitepaw gasped, coming forward. "Your nose!"

It was only then that Tigerpaw realized his nose was dripping blood.

"Tigerpaw?"Petalcloud asked, padding out of her den. "I need to see you at once."

Tigerpaw smiled at her. "My nose is fine," he said. "I want to see how Silvermist is doing first."

"That's just it," Petalcloud said. "Silvermist had her kits last night."


	22. Chapter 20: Kits

**AN: Wow, twenty chapters! Geez! I didn't know this would run so long. We're not even half-way through the story, though, so the chapters are going to be progressively longer as we go. Thanks so much for the support! You guys make my day!**

20

"Is she okay? Are the kits okay?" Tigerpaw demanded. Petalcloud opened her mouth, but Tigerpaw didn't wait; injured and bloody, he had already disappeared into the nursery. Petalcloud sighed. "Whitepaw, tell him to come find me after he is finished. Foxpaw, come with me and I'll tend to your injuries."

Foxpaw nodded and followed Petalcloud into her den. Whitepaw gazed at the nursery, her golden eyes soft. Gingerpaw nudged her friend's shoulder.

"He'll notice, someday," Gingerpaw murmured. The ginger apprentice's own eyes tracked Lionpaw, who had gotten up with disgust at seeing Tigerpaw, and padded out of camp.

"Yeah," Whitepaw whispered. "He'll notice someday.

* * *

"Silvermist? Silvermist?" Tigerpaw asked, coming into the nursery. His eyes widened as he saw the four kits snuggled up against Silvermist's belly. "Four kits!" he exclaimed. "Are you okay? Was it tough?"

"Tigerpaw!" Silvermist exclaimed with delight, and then laughed. "No, no, calm down. Everything went fine; smoothly for a birth under such circumstances, as Petalcloud said. There are four healthy kits here, three female and one little male." Her tail brushed lovingly over a dark gray kit as she spoke, one whom Tigerpaw guessed was the male. He looked quite a bit like the dead RiverClan tom.

"Have you named them?" Tigerpaw asked. Silvermist nodded.

"The little male is Stormkit, after his father," she said, brushing her tail over the dark kit again. "This one is Minnowkit, and this one is Swiftkit." Both Swiftkit and Minnowkit looked nearly identical; they were both light gray splashed with white, or white splashed with light gray, depending on how you looked at them. The fourth kit looked quite a bit like Silvermist herself. "That one is Creek-kit, after Creekstar," Silvermist said softly. Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. Leaders were held in high esteem for sure, but naming your kit after one?

"She was my sister," Silvermist said, noticing Tigerpaw's puzzled face. "She was my older sister by a year or so. She was on her last life when a fox attacked the nursery. She died protecting me. We looked almost identical."

"I'm sorry," Tigerpaw said. "That must be hard for you." He blinked. "But wait, she was part WindClan too, right?"

Silvermist shook her head. "Different mothers," she said simply. "Her mother died delivering her."

"Oh," Tigerpaw said, and was quiet again. "They're beautiful kits, for sure."

Silvermist purred. "Thank you, Tigerpaw," she said, and then frowned at him. "I was worried sick about you disappearing. Petalcloud said the stress is what brought the birth on."

"I'm sorry!"

"Don't be, nothing went wrong. But where did you disappear to? Some of the others thought you were dead. An entire patrol went out looking for you two, but they couldn't cross the Thunderpath without being attacked."

"We went to Highstones," Tigerpaw said. Silvermist's eyes widened.

"Whatever for?"

For a moment, Tigerpaw considered sharing everything with her. Surely she could understand mixed alliances and feelings? But, he couldn't force himself to make the words. "So we could be warriors later," he said, knowing it was only partially true.

"Very brave," Silvermist said, "but foolish too. You're nearly six moons old now, Tigerpaw; you can't be making silly choices like that, what with the up-and-coming Gathering and all."

Tigerpaw shrugged. "After fighting with Lionpaw, I already knew I wasn't going to be going," he said simply.

Silvermist nodded slowly. "Just don't leave without telling me, okay? I was worried about you, you little furball!"

Tigerpaw nodded, and Silvermist smiled. "Run along to Petalcloud, then," she purred. "We'll be here when you get back, I promise."

Tigerpaw smiled at her, and padded away, padding into the medicine cat den. He passed Foxpaw coming out as he went in.

"You get in more scraps than Viperfang, and you're half as careful," she grumbled. "Come here, then." She tended to his nose and his muzzle, which were hurt the worst, before checking him over for any other injuries. Finally, she allowed him to go. Tigerpaw left the den only to run into Brightstar.

"Come with me, please," she said, flicking her tail. She led him to her den, carved into the side of the HighRock by some ancient stream. Lichen hung over the entrance. As they padded inside, Tigerpaw blinked in surprise; Foxpaw was already there. Brightstar sat down and turned to face them with a frown.

"Why did you two leave camp without telling anyone?" she demanded. "Where did you go? You smell of many things, WindClan being the most prominent."

"We went to Highstones," Foxpaw said, "so we could be warriors sooner and stuff."

"We went through ShadowClan at first, and then to Highstones," Tigerpaw said. "After that we were really tired and stopped by the barn. We had to go to WindClan's territory after that, and we were attacked."

"ShadowClan let you through, or did you just not run into any patrols?" Brightstar asked.

"ShadowClan allowed us passage. We ran into Blackheart and told her where we were going," Tigerpaw answered. "She allowed us to go through as long as we didn't trespass into places we weren't wanted. Apparently ShadowClan apprentices have to go to Highstones alone. We ran into a WindClan patrol on the way back."

"You didn't defeat them, did you?" Brightstar questioned, looking surprised.

"No, the medicine cat told the patrol to let us go," Foxpaw replied. "We were almost to Fourtrees anyway."

Brightstar growled under her breath. "You've put us in danger, quarrelling with WindClan," she said, and sighed quietly."Your help with Silvermist and your past dealings with ShadowClan don't mean that you can run off whenever you like. Foxpaw, you are just as responsible. I was considering you and your sister going to the Gathering, but I might re-think it now."

"No!" Foxpaw pleaded. "Please, let me go. I just wanted to see the Highstones…we didn't cause any real harm, and I'm sure WindClan will be over it soon!"

Brightstar flicked her ear in irritation. "I'll have to dwell on it," she said again. "Now go, both of you." Tigerpaw and Foxpaw hastened to obey.

"I'm sorry," Tigerpaw said as they left Brightstar's den. "I got you into real trouble." Foxpaw flicked her ear at him.

"It doesn't matter. I'll just have to work hard and prove I'm worthy to go," she reasoned. "Oh! How are Silvermist's kits, huh?"

"Healthy," Tigerpaw replied. "Cute too, I guess, for kits."

Foxpaw purred. "I'm going to go see them. See you later."

Tigerpaw watched as she picked up a plump vole and padded into the nursery. He sighed quietly; he really had messed things up for Foxpaw. _I'll make it up to her, _he thought. _I'll make sure she gets to go to the Gathering, if it's the last thing I do!_

**AN: Thank you for Warriors06 for Creek-kit's appearance. Thank you to AquaFreez for Swiftkit and Minnowkit's appearances; Minnowkit and Swiftkit are Fishkit and Swishkit, with a bit of a name change. Finally, thanks to everyone who suggested Stormkit (there were quite a few of you!). You guys rock!**


	23. Chapter 21: RiverClan

21

Tigerpaw awoke, feeling worried. His paws prickled. He would nearly be six moons soon; he would be in training for one moon. Foxpaw and Gingerpaw would enter their second moon. The Gathering was looming closer, and Tigerpaw was becoming worried. Foxpaw had tried to be a good apprentice, helping out and such, but Brightstar hadn't been impressed. Foxpaw would need to really stand out if she wanted to go to the Gathering. There just wasn't much opportunity for him to help her though, with training and visiting Silvermist taking up all of his time. Tigerpaw and Silvermist had grown very close, and Tigerpaw was almost like a big brother to the little kits. They were developing rapidly, and they could actually recognize him now, much to his pleasure. Visiting them was the highlight of his day.

Tigerpaw sighed, and got to his paws, shaking his head. It had been some time since anyone had visited his dreams, least of all Tigerstar. He was getting worried. Had Tigerstar deserted him for good?

He shook the thoughts out of his head, and nudged Foxpaw. "Let's go on the dawn patrol," he whispered. "It will look good for us."

"Yeah," Foxpaw said sleepily, blinking slowly. She stood. "Let's go."

"Brightstar?" Tigerpaw called as they entered the leader's den. "Foxpaw and I want to go on the dawn patrol."

Brightstar blinked at them, and then nodded. "Get Birchpelt and Badgerstripe to go with you, if you must," she said. Tigerpaw and Foxpaw nodded, before heading to the warriors den and waking the warriors their leader had requested. Together, the four of them set off to check the borders, starting at the ShadowClan border and working their way to RiverClan. There were no suspicious scents, just the usual border-markings, until they reached where WindClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan's borders met. Tigerpaw frowned as he sniffed a nearby fern.

"This one smells of WindClan, and another right here smells like RiverClan," he said.

"Good nose," Birchpelt said.

"What does it mean?" Foxpaw asked.

"I think RiverClan and WindClan must be meeting here, for some reason," Birchpelt said, and frowned. "I don't know why they would, though. They aren't usually allies, it's a bit unusual."

"I bet they are!" Badgerstripe exclaimed. "Maybe they're planning something. They could be planning to attack us; we should tell Brightstar!"

"Let's finish the patrol first," Birchpelt said seriously. He held himself with the firm air of a new warrior, trying to prove himself. Tigerpaw realized that Badgerstripe, Birchpelt, and Blackstream had all recently become warriors, after all; they were probably still nervous about fighting RiverClan.

"Let's continue the patrol," Birchpelt said. "It might be just a coincidence; they just might have marked the borders closely, or something."

Birchpelt led the patrol. They scented RiverClan along the border, but only the usual marking scents, nothing special. It wasn't until they neared Sunningrocks that the RiverClan scent became very strong.

"Careful," Birchpelt said, flicking his tail at the two apprentices. The slim silver tom crept forward, parting the grass carefully. The other three cats followed. Tigerpaw let out an angry growl at what he saw.

RiverClan cats were marking Sunningrocks! There were five of them, three warriors and two apprentices. They appeared to be following a black she-cat, although Tigerpaw wasn't sure.

"Trespassers!" Badgerstripe exclaimed. Birchpelt shushed him, but the damage was done; the black she-cat turned towards them.

"I know you're there, ThunderClan cowards," she growled. "Look upon us well. I am Nightpool, new deputy of my Clan. RiverClan is claiming Sunningrocks; it should have been ours from the beginning. We are taking it back now. Come and fight us if you wish, but you will lose."

"Now's our chance to prove ourselves!" Foxpaw whispered excitedly.

"Wait," Birchpelt warned, but the flame-colored apprentice had already sprang up a charged forward, letting out a shrill battle-cry.

"Foxpaw!" Tigerpaw shouted, racing after her.

"Puddlepaw! Mistypaw! Take care of them," Nightpool hissed. "Graystream, Splashpelt, with me!" The three warriors raced to where Badgerstripe and Birchpelt were still crouched. The two RiverClan apprentices looked surprised for a moment, and then both ran to meet Tigerpaw and Foxpaw. Tigerpaw saw Foxpaw tackle the one called Mistypaw, before he was tackled by Puddlepaw. Puddlepaw hissed at Tigerpaw; he was several moons older, obviously. Tigerpaw struggled underneath the larger tom, trying to slice his soft belly. Puddlepaw was doing the same, and having much greater success; blood bubbled up on Tigerpaw's stomach where the gray apprentice had clawed him.

Tigerpaw kicked upwards, mustering up all the force he had within him. Puddlepaw flew off, landing on the dirt with an _Oof! _He attempted to stand, but the breath had been knocked out of him. Tigerpaw sprang up at leaped at the dark apprentice, slashing at his face. Puddlepaw struggled to his paws and then raced away, splashing into the river. Tigerpaw watched with a smirk on his face, and then turned. Foxpaw and Mistypaw were evenly matched; Nightpool was facing off against Badgerstripe, and Birchpelt was going against Graystream. Tigerpaw frowned. Had one of them ran off the third warrior?

"Here, kitty kitty," a voice behind him said. Tigerpaw turned and blinked at the tortoiseshell she-cat, who leered at him. Anger flared within Tigerpaw. Who did these cats think they were, stealing ThunderClan territory? He let out a roar and was about to spring at her, when he heard Birchpelt give a hoarse cry.

"Retreat!" he rasped. "Retreat!" Tigerpaw turned. Birchpelt was torn and bloody, and Badgerstripe's hind leg was mangled. "ThunderClan, retreat!" Birchpelt howled again, before fleeing, with Badgerstripe limping behind him.

"ThunderClan doesn't retreat!" Tigerpaw snarled. He saw Foxpaw running away as well, and felt betrayed. How could she run in the thick of battle?

"Run along, apprentice," Splashpelt hissed. "You may have beaten our apprentices, but we can easily defeat you."

Burning with anger, Tigerpaw's head lowered, as he knew he was beaten. He had defeated Puddlepaw, and Foxpaw had beaten Mistypaw, but Tigerpaw couldn't beat three warriors.

"We'll win Sunningrocks back," Tigerpaw hissed. "Count on it." With that, he was forced to turn tail and run after the others, hearing the RiverClan she-cats laughing behind him.

**AN: Thanks to Cinderpaw11, who noticed that I had Nightpool calling RiverClan cowards, instead of ThunderClan. I sure looked stupid, huh? Thanks!**


	24. Chapter 22: Sneak Attack

22

Tigerpaw entered camp. Instead of going to Petalcloud's den, he ran to Brightstar's instead.

"Brightstar!" he exclaimed. "RiverClan stole Sunningrocks! We tried to fight them but they were too strong and we had to run back here and we should hurry, because they'll probably be gone…."

"Slow down!" Brightstar demanded. "What do you mean? Start over."

Tigerpaw took a deep breath. "RiverClan was at Sunningrocks," he said, "and a cat – Nightpool – said that it was RiverClan's now. We attacked but were beaten back and now RiverClan thinks they own the place!"

Brightstar's eyes blazed. "Go into the warrior's den and round up all the warriors you can!" she ordered. "We're going to settle this."

Tigerpaw nodded quickly and hurried to the warriors den. "Come on, come on," he said inside. "Everyone out! RiverClan attacked us at Sunningrocks, and Brightstar wants all of us to assemble, now!" After delivering his message, he stopped by Petalcloud's den. Petalcloud sighed quietly.

"I think StarClan has cursed me with you, Tigerpaw, but I'm going to bear it as best I can," she said. "Come here. Foxpaw, you are free to go. Birchpelt, do me a favor and put some of those on Badgerstripe's leg, will you? It looks bad." With that, she turned back to Tigerpaw and checked him over quickly, tending his worst wounds before ushering him out. Brightstar and Duskclaw were speaking to the other warriors, explaining the situation. Brightstar let out a yowl and raced forward, out of camp, with ThunderClan's warriors racing behind her.

Tigerpaw glanced around for Foxpaw, but she wasn't there. He frowned, and padded into the apprentice den. "Foxpaw, are you in here?" he asked, but the den was completely empty. He glanced around the area, feeling confused. "Foxpaw?" he called. Foxpaw appeared in the nursery entrance.

"I was looking at the kits," she said. "I hadn't seen them yet. Petalcloud said I wasn't allowed to go with the others, because of my injuries." She padded towards him. "It's spooky when the camp is so empty, isn't it?" she asked. "I don't think there is a warrior left in camp. Everyone's out looking for RiverClan."

Tigerpaw felt a pang of fear at her words. Not all the warriors could be gone, surely. He padded into the warrior den, but it was empty. Tigerpaw began to feel panicked. Something wasn't quite right.

"What are you doing, furball?" he heard Lionpaw growl. Gingerpaw and Whitepaw were at his side.

"Where were you two?" Tigerpaw asked.

"Viperfang sent the three of us out to gather moss," Lionpaw replied. "For Silvermist." Lionpaw's eyes glittered, and Tigerpaw knew he was remembering when they had gone for moss together. "Out of my way, idiot," Lionpaw growled, pushing past him to get into the nursery.

_The five of us, plus Petalcloud and Silvermist, are all that's left to defend the camp, _Tigerpaw thought. _Was this RiverClan's plan? _The panic rose within him.

"Guys, I think we might be in trouble," he said. Gingerpaw, Whitepaw, and Foxpaw turned to him.

"Why?" Gingerpaw asked.

"All of the warriors are out of camp, to chase off RiverClan," Tigerpaw said. "But Nightpool must have known we wouldn't sit back and let them take Sunningrocks. What if she was planning on it? They could be here right now!"

Whitepaw's eyes widened, but Lionpaw let out a snort as he came out of the nursery.

"You're a mousebrain," he said. "Don't you think we would have scented them?"

"You'd be surprised how easily ferns will hide your scent," a familiar voice hissed. Tigerpaw turned. Coming through the gorse tunnel was Nightpool. Behind her were a dozen RiverClan warriors.

"There are enough at Sunningrocks to keep your warriors busy," Nightpool sneered. "ThunderClan is so predictable. Now step aside, apprentices; we're here for the kits."

"You'll never touch Silvermist's kits!" Tigerpaw spat.

"Won't we?" Nightpool growled. "They are RiverClan kits. They belong to us. Hand them over and there will be no battle here.

"You cast them out!" Tigerpaw protested. "They belong with us now!"

"Streamstar realizes the errors of her ways. The WindClan blood within the kits is too little to matter now," Nightpool said smoothly. "She was right to expel Silvermist, but the kits belong to us."

"Nightpool!" Silvermist exclaimed from behind them. "You can't take my kits from me!"

"Are five apprentices going to stand in our way?" Nightpool laughed. "I thought not. Now, you're fond of younglings, Silvermist. If these apprentices are killed, it will be on your head and your head alone."

Silvermist glanced at Tigerpaw, and Tigerpaw saw that she was weakening.

"We'll fight to the last breath for those kits," Tigerpaw hissed. "It's RiverClan's fault they are here. Silvermist belongs here, and we won't let her give up."

"Fine," Nightpool said. "RiverClan, attack—" her battle cry was cut short as Petalcloud suddenly dashed out of the medicine den and lunged forward, tackling Nightpool. Her teeth sought the black warrior's throat. With a cry of outrage, RiverClan warriors surged forward, burying Petalcloud in a mass of sharp teeth and snarling. Tigerpaw's mouth opened in horror; he was frozen. Lionpaw wasn't though. Lionpaw ran forward, tackling a RiverClan warrior and clawing him fiercely, sending the warrior screeching away. As if Lionpaw had freed the others, the other apprentices ran forward as well, yowling loudly. Tigerpaw sprang at Splashpelt, eager to have her fur in his claws. She reared back on her hind legs, preparing to crush him, but his outstretched paws hit her in the stomach. She fell on him and trapped him, but yowled in pain. Her stomach bled from the slashes he had made. Tigerpaw thrashed beneath her, feeling as if he was fighting Falconclaw of WindClan again. She raised herself up enough to slash at him, but it was enough for him to kick her as he had Puddlepaw before. She was much larger, though, and didn't quite fly through the air. She landed over her paws neatly, bearing her fangs at him. Tigerpaw hissed, but fangs bit into his back, causing him to yowl loudly. Another RiverClan warrior had grabbed him. The second warrior forced him to the ground. Splashpelt stood over him, raising her claws to strike at his eyes. But then, a streak of gold slammed into her side, knocking her back to the ground. It was Lionpaw, yowling words that Tigerpaw couldn't hear over the roar of the battle as he slashed at Splashpelt. This time, Splashpelt had been winded, and she gasped on the ground. Tigerpaw struggled, but the RiverClan warrior holding him down bit down harder. Tigerpaw's back arched in pain under the warrior's fangs.

"Lionpaw, help!" he gasped, blood pouring from his back. "H…help me…."

Lionpaw glanced from the badly wounded Splashpelt, to Tigerpaw. For a moment, Lionpaw's eyes seemed clouded. Then, Lionpaw bared his fangs and sprung forward at the other RiverClan warrior, who released Tigerpaw to defend himself. Tigerpaw lay still on the ground, unable to move. Pain pulsed from his back with every heartbeat. His eyes drifted closed. Was he dying?

"Get up," he heard Lionpaw snarl nearby. His eyes fluttered open. Lionpaw had sent the RiverClan warrior running. Splashpelt had disappeared as well.

"Come on, wimp! I saved your life. Don't make it have been for nothing."

"Lionpaw," Tigerpaw gasped, feeling confused. "Why did you save me?"

Lionpaw's eyes were emotionless. "Without you, we'll lose the battle for sure," he said, and nipped Tigerpaw. "Get up! We have to fight for ThunderClan. For Silvermist! You'll fight for her and her kits, won't you?"

"Yeah," Tigerpaw croaked, and then more firmly, said, "Yes." He stood, ignoring the blood from his wound."I won't let ThunderClan down!" he snarled, and stepped forward, staggering. He had lost much of his energy from his wound. Lionpaw simply watched, and then turned, disappearing into the fray once more. Tigerpaw stumbled forward again, and then collapsed, feeling drained.

"There's one!" he heard someone hiss.

"He's half dead. Get the ginger apprentice," he heard another voice say. Tigerpaw's eyes snapped open. _Foxpaw! _He thought. He struggled to his paws again, his eyes sweeping around madly. There were the two toms he had heard, approaching a ginger apprentice who had just fought off another warrior. Her back was to the nursery, as far as he could tell.

"Foxpaw, look out!" Tigerpaw howled. The ginger apprentice turned, and her amber eyes flashed; it was Gingerpaw. Her mouth dropped open as she saw the two RiverClan toms approaching. Tigerpaw flung himself to his paws and raced forward, springing up to land on the back of one of them. He clung on for dear life as the tom bucked. The other tom attacked Gingerpaw, but the world was a blur for Tigerpaw, and he couldn't see how she was doing.

"Get off!" the tom Tigerpaw clung to snarled, and then stiffened, hearing something. For a moment, Tigerpaw could hear nothing over the dull pounding of his heart. Then, he heard it. ThunderClan's battle cry! Brightstar had returned! The tom he was clinging to stiffened. Then, over the wail of the battle, he heard Nightpool yowl,

"Retreat!"

The tom bucked once more, and this time Tigerpaw didn't have the strength to cling on. Tigerpaw fell from the tom's back, hitting his head against the dirt with a thud. His world went black.


	25. Chapter 23: Decisions

**AN: RiverClan's taking a beating in this story, eh? They're actually my favorite Clan of all, so don't worry, I'm not prejudiced against them or anything. WindClan's my least favorite now (Stupid Onestar, Mudclaw, Crowfeather, Nightcloud…the only good cats WindClan ever had were OneWHISKER, CrowPAW, Gorsepaw, and Morningflower) and they'll get their beatings in due time.**

**Thanks to all my loyal readers, especially Allygirl65 and Cinder11! Love ya!**

23

Tigerpaw awoke to the sensation of being gently nuzzled. Whitepaw's golden eyes and Foxpaw's green pair were the first thing he saw.

"Wha...." he murmured, feeling dizzy.

"You're awake!" Whitepaw exclaimed. "Tigerpaw, we were so worried!"

"You hit your head when you fell," Foxpaw said, her green eyes round with worry for her friend. "And then that injury on your back was pretty bad, too."

Tigerpaw was in the medicine cat den. To his right, he could see Badgerstripe lying down. Birchpelt was nowhere to be seen; he had probably been dismissed. Also in the den was Lionpaw, lying still while Gingerpaw tended to him.

"Your warning saved my sister," Foxpaw informed him. "It was brave of you, when you were in so much pain." She licked his cheek. "Thank you."

Tigerpaw felt disoriented. "What happened?"

"You passed out when you fell. Nightpool fled when Brightstar and the others got back; it turns out only a few RiverClan warriors were waiting for them at Sunningrocks. You were right; Nightpool used Sunningrocks to try and take the Clan. We fought them off, though. Everyone's safe…." Her voice caught in her throat as she spoke.

"What?" Tigerpaw asked quickly. "What's wrong?"

"Brightstar lost a life," Foxpaw whispered, "and Petalcloud was killed, by Nightpool. When those warriors all piled up on her…she didn't have a chance."

Tigerpaw felt sorrow well up inside him. Petalcloud hadn't liked him, and for good reason; he was much too reckless, and he had been in her way often. But she had been a kind cat, and had laid down her life for her Clan, for the apprentices, for Silvermist's kits.

"What do we do now?" he asked. "She had no apprentice."

"Silvermist is taking on some of Petalcloud's duties," Whitepaw said. "She had some training when she was young; apparently she started off as a medicine cat apprentice, but decided it wasn't the life for her after she met Stormheart."

Tigerpaw felt shaken. "She can't do it all by herself."

"Yeah," Foxpaw said softly. "I'm not sure what Brightstar will do now."

Tigerpaw closed his eyes, feeling incredibly weary.

"Foxpaw?" Birchpelt asked. "Lionpaw? Brightstar wants to see you both." Foxpaw stood, and Lionpaw did as well, wincing slightly in pain. Whitepaw glanced at Tigerpaw, and seemed about to say something, when Birchpelt said, "you too, Tigerpaw."

Tigerpaw simply nodded, getting to his paws and grimacing at the sourness he felt when he stood. He followed the others. Lionpaw shot him a venomous look, but said nothing.

"Welcome," Brighstar said. She looked weary, moons older than when Tigerpaw had last seen her.

"Where is Petalcloud?" Tigerpaw asked. "I didn't see her in camp. I want to share tongues with her before she's buried."

Brightstar blinked at him sadly. "The battle was yesterday, Tigerpaw," she said gently. "You were out for awhile. Petalcloud has already been buried. She's with StarClan now, at peace."

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise, feeling sorrow squeeze his heart again. _I didn't even get to say goodbye…._

"What did you want us for, exactly?" Lionpaw asked. Brightstar sighed quietly.

"I acted foolish, and it cost us," she said quietly. "It is thanks to the apprentices of ThunderClan and Petalcloud that our camp was not lost. I praise you for that; tell Whitepaw and Gingerpaw as well. You all fought bravely. Lionpaw, you're going to the Gathering. Gingerpaw tells me you fought like a warrior, and even saved Tigerpaw's life."

"He did," Tigerpaw said quickly. "I was pinned down…he ran off the warrior who had me pinned, and the one that was going to attack me while I was pinned." He nodded to Lionpaw, but the golden apprentice's expression didn't change in the slightest.

"Foxpaw, you're also going," Brighstar continued. Foxpaw's face lit up. "Birchpelt told me you were the first to defend Sunningrocks, and you also fought bravely for the Clan. In light of these events, I'm letting you go." She turned to Tigerpaw. "There is one more apprentice who will be going." Tigerpaw's heart fluttered with anticipation. "Gingerpaw," Brightstar said, and Tigerpaw's hopes fell. "She has been respectful and kind this moon, and fought bravely. She wanted me to let you go in her place, Tigerpaw, because you helped her during the battle. I told her no."

"Why?" Tigerpaw asked, feeling angry. "I deserve to go just as much as Foxpaw or Lionpaw! I fought RiverClan twice!"

"Foxpaw led the offensive, and Lionpaw saved you," Brightstar said calmly. "Not only that, but this is your first moon of training; you're the youngest of all the apprentices in the Clan, remember? And need I remind you of your…exploits the last moon?" Tigerpaw felt his temper flare at her words. Lionpaw had been involved in his first "exploit," and Foxpaw was in the second. Why could they go when he couldn't?

"Whitepaw will keep you company here, though," Brightstar continued. "She volunteered. She wants to spend time with you, she said." Brightstar flicked her tail. "You may go now. Tigerpaw, train hard and maybe you too will go to the next Gathering, during the next moon."

Tigerpaw had to restrain himself from hissing. He turned and left the den, leaving Foxpaw and Lionpaw behind.

"Sorry you can't come too," Foxpaw said from behind him. "If I really was Foxstar, I would have let you come."

Tigerpaw growled, "But you aren't ApprenticeClan isn't even real! It's just some stupid plaything!"

"Don't get mad at me just because I can go and you can't!" Foxpaw retorted hotly. "Don't be stupid!"

"This whole Clan is stupid!" Tigerpaw raged. "I'm going to sleep. I can't train today anyway." He stalked into the apprentice den, leaving a fuming Foxpaw and a smug Lionpaw behind.

**AN: Brightstar isn't being strict; I think she's correct in her choice. Tigerpaw caused a lot of trouble during the last moon, and Foxpaw and Lionpaw proved themselves. Not only that, but she could hardly leave poor Whitepaw behind all alone, eh?**


	26. Chapter 24: The Gathering

24

Tigerpaw awoke when Brightstar yowled from the HighRock. He padded out of his den, blinking up at her.

"Tonight is the Gathering, and time to announce who will be going," she said. "Firestorm, Snowflight, Birchpelt, Patchpelt, and Cinderfur will be coming. Foxpaw, Lionpaw, and Gingerpaw will be coming as well." She sighed quietly. "We will have no medicine cat for the time being. Silvermist knows a thing or two, but she isn't fully trained. We'll need to find another cat for that position, and she has her kits to look after anyway." Her ear flicked slowly. "RiverClan might be hostile, but we will not act in kind. The Clan mourns Petalcloud – as do I, for she was my sister and we were always close – but we will not show hostility during a Gathering. Be wary around WindClan as well; they might have joined RiverClan." The assembled cats nodded slowly, and Brightstar sprang down, holding her tail high. "Let us go." She led the chosen cats out of camp. Tigerpaw let out a quiet growl under his breath, watching Foxpaw and Lionpaw leave him.

_I have to be at this Gathering! _He thought. _I have to see the RiverClan cats, and the WindClan cats, and the ShadowClan cats too! I want to see Blackheart. _His resolve deepened. _I don't care what Brightstar said. I deserve to go. _He glanced around quickly, but no one seemed to notice him. Carefully, he crept out of camp, following ThunderClan's scent.

The forest was very different, drenched in moonlight. It was hard to see, and he stumbled several times over unseen obstacles. Still, he kept going, allowing nothing to stop him or deter him from his mission. He would see the Gathering.

Tigerpaw caught up to them as Brightstar paused on the edge of the slope leading down to Fourtrees. She said something to the Clan that Tigerpaw couldn't hear, before the Clan plunged downward. Tigerpaw followed at a safe distance, and halted at the slope. From here, he could see and hear everything without being scented or seen. He arranged himself comfortably, and settled down to watch.

Nothing happened for a long time. ShadowClan and WindClan were already pleasant. ThunderClan mixed with them, and Tigerpaw saw Foxpaw speaking with ShadowClan's deputy timidly. Lionpaw was speaking with ShadowClan apprentices, probably boasting about the battle. Finally, RiverClan arrived, and the meeting truly began. The four leaders climbed up on the Great Rock. They all glanced at one another, before Darkstar strode forward to speak first.

"All is well in ShadowClan," he announced. "Rosepaw and Thornpaw are here tonight for their first Gathering." Cats turned to blink at the two ShadowClan apprentices Lionpaw had been speaking with; a pale ginger she-cat and a dark tabby tom. "Our Clan grows stronger with the richness of greenleaf," Darkstar continued, "and we are glad to be at peace with the other Clans. Also, our deputy, Blackheart is expecting kits." Blackheart blushed under her dark fur, and Tigerpaw's eyes widened. Who was the lucky father? He saw a proud glow in Darkstar's eyes, and found himself smiling. It made sense; they deserved each other.

"Congratulations," Swiftstar, leader of WindClan, purred. Tigerpaw had forgotten his name was Swiftstar. _Did Silvermist name Swiftkit for him? _He wondered, and then struggled to hear the soft-spoken tom.

"WindClan wishes ShadowClan the best," Swiftstar continued. "But we don't wish the same for ThunderClan, Brightstar. Two ThunderClan apprentices were found wandering our territory this moon." Blackheart's eyes widened slightly at his words, and Tigerpaw knew that Blackheart knew who Swiftstar was talking about. "We ran them out of the territory after they gave us a feeble excuse about traveling to the Highstones," Swiftstar said. "All four Clans know that ThunderClan never risks their apprentices going anywhere without a warrior." There was a slight sneer in his voice. Brightstar remained calm.

"The apprentices in question did go to Highstones, but it was of their own free will," Brightstar said. "They were trying to prove themselves to ThunderClan."

"You can't even control your apprentices?" Swiftstar demanded. "Just be glad Owlfeather let them go, or you might never have gotten them back."

This time, Brightstar bristled, but said nothing. Swiftstar continued with his news, and then Streamstar stood up. She was a gray she-cat with white paws, and surprisingly gentle looking for her dark motives.

"RiverClan has done well. We have gained a new apprentice, Mistypaw. Sadly, she could not join us; she and Puddlepaw were gravely injured by ThunderClan."

"May I point out that at the time, they were on ThunderClan territory marking Sunningrocks, with Nightpool, no less?" Brightstar asked. Streamstar glanced at her coldly, and continued.

"We have been trying to purge our Clan of those with mixed blood," Streamstar continued, "and encourage others to do the same to keep their Clans strong. If we are to remain four Clans, we cannot have divided loyalties."

"Agreed," Swiftstar meowed. Darkstar looked carefully neutral. Streamstar opened her mouth to continue, but Brightstar took a step forward.

"If I may," she said to Streamstar. Streamstar nodded, but her eyes glittered with controlled anger. "Yesterday, Clan camp was attacked by RiverClan," Brightstar announced. "They had fought with a patrol at Sunningrocks earlier, gravely wounding Badgerstripe. They then tricked me into taking many of my warriors out of the camp, and attacked when there were no warriors to defend camp."

"That is your own fault!" Swiftstar announced loudly. "You shouldn't have been so foolish."

Brightstar turned on him with a hiss. "This is my turn to speak!" she snarled, and the true pain of losing Petalcloud was obvious in her furious gaze. She turned back to the other cats. "My sister, Petalcloud, was also in camp at the time," she continued, her voice becoming choked. "She was killed."

Whispers surged through the cats. It wasn't against the warrior code, but it was taboo to attack medicine cats, the peacemakers of the four Clans. Even Streamstar looked surprised.

"Petalcloud attacked first," Nightpool argued.

"You threatened our Clan, and she responded as any cat would," Brightstar retorted.

"We came for Silvermist's kits," Nightpool said loudly. "Silvermist and Stormheart fled RiverClan this moon, and Stormheart was killed by the river. ThunderClan took in Silvermist, which is fine, but the kits belong to RiverClan."

"They belong with her mother, and she is no longer part of RiverClan," Brightstar hissed.

"Why did she flee?" Darkstar interrupted. "Let us have the full story."

"She has WindClan blood in her," Streamstar growled. "She had to leave. But there is not much of it in the kits, and we want them still."

"It hardly seems fair, if you cast her out," Darkstar said mildly. "The kits belong with their mother, and it appears she is part of ThunderClan now. Isn't it right to leave them with her?"

"RiverClan needs kits!" Streamstar snarled, and then realized how desperate she sounded. She calmed herself. "They are RiverClan kits," she said firmly.

"It is up to the mother," Brightstar said, equally as firmly.

"I agree with Brightstar," Darkstar said. "Let Silvermist decide when her kits are old enough to travel. Don't risk hurting the kits by pushing them too hard too soon."

"RiverClan was only doing what was right, by cleansing their Clan," Swiftstar protested. "We stand by them." The four leaders tensed, and it seemed certain that a fight would break out. Tigerpaw kneaded the ground with his claws. If it came to a battle, he'd fight for ThunderClan.

Then, a cloud covered the moon, blotting out the light for several moments, before passing.

"The Gathering is over!" Swiftstar declared. "StarClan has made it so!" With that, he sprang down and led WindClan away. Tigerpaw got to his paws and raced back to camp, not wanting to be caught. He entered camp panting, but didn't appear to have been missed. He relaxed, thinking he was safe, until he entered the apprentice den.

"I saw you leave," Whitepaw said soflty.


	27. Chapter 25: Lionheart

25

Tigerpaw turned to her. "Er, what? I didn't leave. Don't know what you're talking about," he said quickly.

"You're a terrible liar, you know," Whitepaw said, putting her head on her paws. "Listen, I need to talk to you, okay? It's kind of important."

"Okay, go ahead," Tigerpaw said, sitting down. "You won't tell on me about the Gathering thing though, will you?"

"Of course not," Whitepaw replied, "no matter what your answer is." Tigerpaw blinked, wondering what sort of question would be important enough to tattle on your friend over. Whitepaw took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but then the ThunderClan warriors returned from the Gathering. Tigerpaw turned to look, and saw Brightstar leaping on the HighRock.

"Clan meeting, we'd better go," Tigerpaw whispered. "You can ask me later, okay?"

Whitepaw's ears flattened, but she nodded. "Fine."

The two of them padded out of the apprentice den, and sat under the HighRock.

"What's going on?" Whitepaw asked Lionpaw.

"Just wait, she'll tell you," Lionpaw said, his jaw tight with anger. "Stupid RiverClan. Stupid WindClan."

Tigerpaw tried to look curious, as if he had no idea what they were talking about.

"RiverClan and WindClan have formed an alliance," Brightstar announced. "They have sided against ThunderClan; it appears they have forgotten their history, when they once fought against the exact actions RiverClan is taking now. They seem determined to attack us together, and we must be strong. An alliance with ShadowClan may be possible, but we must be careful. ShadowClan has always been out for their own interests, and if they think we are weak, they might not aid us." She sighed quietly. Anxious voices swept through the camp, as warriors wondered if ThunderClan was really so desperate to side with ShadowClan against former allies. Brightstar flicked her tail, silencing them. "We still have no medicine cat," she continued in a heavy voice, "because of Silvermist tending her kits and no new ready apprentices. Perhaps ShadowClan can help." She closed her eyes, and Tigerpaw realized how tired his leader truly was. She looked as if she was about to collapse, or could at any moment. Tigerpaw felt worried, but he didn't want to call attention to it in front of the other cats.

"It feels as if ThunderClan's troubles are my fault," Silvermist said softly, stepping out of the nursery. "My kits are the reason ThunderClan is at war. My kits are the reason Petalcloud is dead." Her eyes were dull with sorrow. "Perhaps I should return to them, for ThunderClan's sake."

"It is your choice," Brightstar said, "but once your kits no longer need to suckle, I wouldn't be surprised if RiverClan ran you off again. ThunderClan would be open to you, but that would again cause tensions between the Clans. There is no easy option.

"Tomorrow, we will have a meeting with ShadowClan. I will go with Duskclaw, and…." She trailed off, surveying the Clan. "Snowflight will go as well, and so will Cinderfur. And Tigerpaw." Tigerpaw's eyes widened, surprised to be chosen for a mission like this. "ShadowClan appears fond of Tigerpaw; ShadowClan didn't mention his tresspasses at the Gathering, unlike WindClan."

"May I come to?" Whitepaw asked, her golden eyes bright with a hidden emotion. Brightstar glanced at Cinderfur, who nodded.

"Yes, you may come as well," Brightstar said, and then sprang off of the HighRock.

"Looks like you get to do something cool too," Gingerpaw said with a smile. Tigerpaw glanced at Foxpaw, but her face was carefully neutral.

"The only reason Brightstar wants Tigerpaw is because she knows he'll just run off and get himself into trouble anyway," Lionpaw said. Whitepaw shoved him. "What? It's true!" Lionpaw protested, batting at his sister's ear playfully. "He's been in trouble since the day he was born!"

"No thanks to you," Tigerpaw growled, remembering when he and Lionpaw had fought.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't still be _alive," _Lionpaw growled. "Those RiverClan cats meant business. You should be thanking me."

Lionpaw thought of Splashpelt, and his pelt prickled with anger. The next time they fought, he would get her for sure.

Tigerpaw yawned. "I need to rest up for the journey tomorrow," he purred. "Whitepaw, you should too. We don't want to be tired when we meet ShadowClan, after all."

Whitepaw hesitated, and then nodded, following Tigerpaw into the apprentice den.

"He's so smug!" Tigerpaw heard Foxpaw growl. "Just because he gets to visit ShadowClan doesn't mean he's leader of the Clan!"

Tigerpaw felt slightly hurt as he curled up in his nest. She didn't have to be a jerk to him just because she didn't get to come. _Although, I guess I was a jerk to her when I didn't go to the Gathering, _he thought. Tigerpaw shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes, falling asleep quickly.

* * *

_When Tigerpaw saw the ruined forest, he wasn't surprised in the least. He turned, seeing Tigerstar._

"_Do I get another life now?" Tigerpaw asked. Tigerstar let out a hiss._

"_You nearly died, Tigerpaw."_

"_Yeah, but I have another life," Tigerpaw said. "It's not like I wouldn't come back."_

_Tigerstar shook his head. "There's a detail I forgot to give you, Tigerpaw. You don't actually get to hold all of your eight lives as they are given to you; they are still a part of you but when you die, they will be lost. You won't come back. Your eight lives will only come into being once you complete the ritual, and earn your eighth life. It doesn't matter how many you have until you have earned all eight, because you'll die just the same."_

_Tigerpaw's eyes widened. "S-so yesterday…if I had died, I would have stayed dead?" he whispered. Tigerstar nodded slowly._

"_You wouldn't have come back," Tigerstar growled, and jabbed him in the nose with one claw. "Be more careful! You can't be so reckless, or everything I have tried to create will be for nothing!"_

_Tigerpaw's ears flattened. "I'm sorry, Tigerstar. I didn't know," he said. Tigerstar simply sighed._

"_Yesterday, you fought bravely in two battles," Tigerstar said. A Tigerstar-clone appeared and padded forward. For a moment, Tigerpaw thought he saw a glimpse of Lionpaw within the clone. "You showed much courage," Tigerstar continued, "and so you have earned your third life." The other Tigerstar padded forward and touched noses with Tigerpaw._

"_With this life, I give you courage," the second Tigerstar said, and Tigerpaw's body jerked with pain. He felt his heart burn, as if his blood was on fire. He let out a yowl of pain as the memories flowed…._

"You will be known as Lionpaw," a leader was saying, as she blinked down on golden apprentice who looked like Tigerpaw's Lionpaw….

"Lionheart," Tigerclaw was saying to the golden tom from before. "We need to patrol Sunningrocks. RiverClan is getting too close again…."

Bluestar's head was bowed as she stared down at the body of a tortoiseshell tom. "Redtail," she murmured, licking it gently. Lionheart stood beside her….

"Lionheart will be the next deputy of ThunderClan," Bluestar announced, and Tigerpaw felt his heart burn with rage. He was the right candidate, he should be the one who was deputy….

"Lionheart is dead!" Bluestar said, her eyes misty with grief. "Tigerclaw will be the next deputy." As Tigerpaw gazed at the dead golden tom's body, all he felt was triumph….

_Tigerpaw shook his head, feeling weary. "Who was Lionheart? Was he your rival, like Lionpaw is mine?" Tigerpaw asked._

"_Lionheart and I were never truly rivals. The closest thing I had to a rival was Redtail, and he was later killed," Tigerstar said. "Lionheart is very much like your Lionpaw, though; he was arrogant and cocky when he was young. He grew out of it."_

"_I hope Lionpaw does," Tigerpaw sighed. _

_Tigerstar shrugged. "Whether he does or not, it is of no concern. You will be the deputy and leader of ThunderClan, not him."_

_Tigerpaw's eyes shown. "Really?" he breathed. "Do you really think so?"_

_Tigerstar actually smiled at him, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I do." As he spoke, the forest began to fade._

Tigerpaw awoke in the den, feeling tired. Silverpelt sparkled above his head. _I wasn't even sorry when Lionheart died, _Tigerpaw thought. _StarClan, am I doing the right thing?_

**AN: I don't think those were the exact words Bluestar used during Tigerpaw's flashbacks, but I don't have the books with me at this moment in time, so it's just speculation. Sorry. ^^;**


	28. Chapter 26: Alliance

26

Tigerpaw awoke early the next morning, blinking at the light streaming into the apprentice den. He wanted to be the first apprentice up, to show Brightstar she was right in picking him for this mission. He got to his paws and padded towards the fresh-kill pile, selecting a large mouse to eat. He dug into it with pleasure, feeling the sun warm his pelt. It felt so good after his chilling dreams the night before.

He looked up as white paws entered his vision. Snowflight blinked down at him, and then sat.

"Glad to see you're taking this seriously, preparing early," Snowflight meowed. Tigerpaw blinked. "Eager to see your ShadowClan friends?" Snowflight asked.

Tigerpaw nodded, and then frowned. "Is it wrong to have friends in ShadowClan?" he asked. Snowflight chuckled.

"We're all one Clan under StarClan's gaze," Snowflight said. "I see nothing wrong with it myself…I once had a crush on a cat from another Clan some time ago." Tigerpaw waited curiously for him to continue, but he simply turned to blink at Whitepaw and Lionpaw. Tigerpaw finished his mouse, just as Whitepaw selected a rabbit. She ate it quickly, and Snowflight stood, giving them both a quick nod before padding away, probably in search of Cinderfur or Brightstar.

Whitepaw didn't say anything to Tigerpaw, just stared at him while she ate. Tigerpaw felt unnerved.

"I'm going to go see the kits," he said, and padded into the nursery quickly.

"Hello, Tigerpaw," Silvermist said, blinking at him tiredly.

"Hello, Silvermist," Tigerpaw purred. "How are you?"

Silvermist simply shrugged, and gazed down at Stormkit sadly. The kits were nearly a moon old now, and their eyes were bright with life. One kit – Minnowkit or Swiftkit, he couldn't quite tell – stumbled over to him with a rumbling purr. She rubbed her face against his leg. Tigerpaw smiled, and licked the kit. He couldn't believe that he had been so little and sweet once.

"Minnowkit likes you," Silvermist purred. Tigerpaw laughed.

"I can't tell her apart from Swiftkit, honestly," Tigerpaw admitted, and then sat down. "What did you name Swiftkit for?"

"The bird, a swift," Silvermist said, but avoided his gaze.

"And Swiftstar?" Tigerpaw asked. Silvermist sighed quietly.

"Yes, him too," she said. "He was the cat that gave me my WindClan blood. It was many years ago, back when he was young. "

Tigerpaw nodded. "Silvermist, were you serious when you said…that you might leave?"

Silvermist closed her eyes. "Yes, Tigerpaw. What else can I do? ThunderClan has been desperately kind to me. I can't let them e hurt in a battle over a few kits; that just wouldn't be right."

Tigerpaw shook his head. "Maybe you feel that way, but Brightstar knew this would happen when she took you in. She had to know; I mean, I kind of sort of guessed it."

Silvermist sighed quietly. "I just don't know what to do," she said, laying her head on her paws.

"If you surrender them, they won't have their mother," Tigerpaw said, "and that's the most important thing of all…they don't have a father. They should have a mother." He realized how similar he was to the kits; their fathers were dead before they were born, they depending on their mothers, and their fathers were traitors to their Clans.

He smiled at Silvermist. "I have to go," he said, and Silvermist nodded.

"Visit again soon, the kits really like you," Silvermist purred. Tigerpaw licked Minnowkit's head, before leaving the den. The others were already waiting for him.

* * *

Tigerpaw's paws prickled with excitement as they approached the Thunderpath. They all made it over without injury, and padded into ShadowClan territory together.

"Be careful," Brightstar warned. "We might seem like a raiding party, and we could be attacked. If we are, don't attack until they actually threaten you; we don't want to mess this up. This alliance is crucial to ThunderClan."

The group nodded, and continued walking. Whitepaw and Tigerpaw walked together, but Whitepaw didn't say anything. She simply looked anxious. Tigerpaw tried striking up a conversation, but she didn't say much.

"Are you mad at me?" Tigerpaw asked finally, feeling utterly confused. One minute she wanted to ask him something, and the next she wouldn't even talk t him at all.

Whitepaw laughed quietly. "No, Tigerpaw. I could never be angry with you." She flicked her tail across his shoulder playfully, and actually talked a little bit more as they continued.

The scent of ShadowClan grew, and Brightstar flicked her tail to silence the group. "Careful," she warned. She and Duskclaw crept forward together, cautiously.

"Hello?" Brightstar called. "It is Brightstar here, along with several other warriors. We wish to speak with Darkstar."

A familiar face appeared in the brush; bright blue eyes in a white face.

"ThunderClan," Hailstorm sighed. "Well, I should have known. ThunderClan seems to _always _be here." He took a step forward, glancing around, his gaze finally settling on Tigerpaw. "StarClan," he groaned. "Fogwind will have a fit when she sees _you."_

"When Fogwind sees who?" another familiar voice quipped, and Fogwind appeared as well. "Tigerkit!" she squealed. "Oh my my my, you've gotten to be so big! Oh oh oh!"

Tigerpaw blushed under his stripes, and Fogwind seemed to realize she was being a little silly. Her whiskers twitched with embarrassment.

"Come on then, let's go," Hailstorm said. "Darkstar's been waiting for you." Hailstorm and Fogwind led the way, while the others followed. The two ShadowClan warriors kept up a conversation, which Tigerpaw could barely hear.

"You make more of a fuss over him than you do me," Hailstorm grumbled. Fogwind laughed, and nudged him with her side.

"I see you every day, furball," she purred. "And you weren't _nearly _as cute when you were a kit."

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise at the affection between the two. _Another ShadowClan pair? _He wondered, but the thought didn't linger for long as they entered ShadowClan camp.

Darkstar was sharing tongues with Blackheart when they entered camp. He stood, and nodded to Hailstorm and Fogwind, who slipped away silently.

"You've brought quite a force, Brightstar," Darkstar observed. "This is a peaceful meeting, I hope?"

"Of course," Brightstar replied. "We were just wary of attack, of course."

"Young Tigerkit – Tigerpaw, now, I presume?" Darkstar asked, and Tigerpaw nodded mutely.

"This is Cinderfur, and my brother Snowflight, who is mentoring Tigerpaw," Brightstar said. "The other apprentice is Whitepaw."

Darkstar nodded. "I see," he said. "Let's you and I speak in my den, then."He glanced at the other cats. "They can wait here I suppose, and glance around camp. Blackheart will be interested seeing Tigerpaw again."

With that, he and Brightstar padded away. Blackheart padded towards them, smiling brightly at the others before nodding to Tigerpaw.

"You keep getting bigger and bigger," she purred, and sat down, wrapping her dark tail around her paws. Tigerpaw smiled at her, although Whitepaw didn't look happy.

"You're still acting as a warrior?" Cinderfur asked, sounding surprised. Blackheart nodded.

"Once the kits are bigger, I'll move into the nursery. But right now I am the deputy, and my Clan needs me in these troubles times. Neither WindClan nor RiverClan has a quarrel with us, but that could soon change." She nodded to where Brightstar and Darkstar were speaking.

"Understandable," Duskclaw rumbled. "A deputy's greatest desire is to serve their Clan, after all." He yawned slowly, flexing as he stretched. His dark body was thin, but wiry.

Snowflight's gaze swept across camp, as he observed the other ShadowClan cats closely. If they were going to be allies, they would need to know everything about their strengths and such, after all.

"Who is your medicine cat?" Whitepaw asked.

"Shadefur," Blackheart replied. "She's out looking for herbs with her apprentice."

Duskclaw's ears pricked. "Apprentice?"

Blackheart nodded. "Batpaw, my little brother," she explained. "He's Shadefur's apprentice."

"Interesting," Duskclaw murmured, but said nothing else. The cats chatted for awhile about Clan things, how the prey was running and what to expect from leaf-bare in a few moons. Finally, Brightstar and Darkstar returned, just as a black cat with a white chest and bright blue eyes padded into camp, with a surly-looking dark apprentice following her.

"Batpaw, Shadefur," Blackheart greeted them cheerfully. "Find what you needed?" Batpaw simply grunted at her.

"Just who I wanted to see," Darkstar said. "Batpaw, you will be accompanying the ThunderClan cats home."

"What?" Batpaw hissed. He had a high, irritating voice. "Why would I want to go there?"

"Their medicine cat just died, Batpaw," Darkstar said. "You'll be over there, working with them."

"That's crazy!" Batpaw spat. "Why can't Shadefur go?"

"It'll be good for you, Batpaw," Blackheart said. "You could learn a thing or too, and we need Shadefur here. ShadowClan comes first. Relax, it won't be too long until they find an apprentice of their own, and Shadefur will help train him or her. Until then, you'll be over there."

Batpaw looked mutinous, but didn't argue again.

"Do we have an alliance, then?" Snowflight asked. Brightstar nodded.

"ShadowClan and ThunderClan are joined against WindClan and RiverClan," she said. "Hopefully it won't come to a battle, but if it does we'll be ready."


	29. Chapter 27: Batpaw

27

Batpaw accompanied on the way home, as promised. He took up residence in Petalcloud's old den, sneering at how unkempt and disorganized it was. It had fallen into chaos only days after Petalcloud had died. Tigerpaw took an instant dislike to the arrogant apprentice; just because he was kin to the deputy and the mate of the leader, he thought he owned the place. The fact that he found ThunderClan to be inferior irked Tigerpaw as well. Still, Tigerpaw tried to put his feelings aside; Batpaw was here to help, after all.

As soon as they arrived home, Tigerpaw checked on Silvermist and the kits, making sure she hadn't disappeared while he had been gone. He was worried about her, worried she would run off to RiverClan after all, to save ThunderClan. He was relieved to see that she and all four kits were present; he played with the kits for a little while. They all had their own personalities now; Stormkit was the take-charge type, always in control and command of the others, always making the plans and games; Creek-kit was the same way, and she frequently challenged her brother, taking their games into unexpected places; Minnowkit and Swiftkit were very much alike in personalities as well, but Minnowkit wanted to be with Tigerpaw, always on his side. Swiftkit couldn't care less either way. Only Silvermist could tell the two of them apart with their appearances; even Tigerpaw couldn't tell Minnowkit from Swiftkit.

After wishing Silvermist a good night –he probably wouldn't see her the rest of the day – he left the den. It was still sunhigh, and there was plenty of time left in the day. When Whitepaw saw him, she padded up to him and opened her mouth, about to say something.

"Tigerpaw!" a voice said, and Tigerpaw turned. Brightstar was padding towards him. "Tigerpaw, why don't you show Batpaw around the territory? He'll want to know where the herbs are, and such."

Tigerpaw blinked. "I don't know where herbs are," he said.

"Show him the territory, and he can probably spot the herbs he needs," Brightstar said. "Take someone with you if you like."

Tigerpaw turned, and saw Whitepaw blinking at him hopefully. He opened his mouth to ask her to come with him, but Foxpaw beat him to it.

"I'll go," she said, and Brightstar nodded.

"Off you go, then. Think of it as a mission." She winked at them, and padded away. Tigerpaw glanced at Whitepaw – she was slinking back to the apprentice den, looking dejected. Foxpaw hadn't seen her, though.

"Let's go find the sulky furball," she said, and padded towards the medicine cat den.

"StarClan!" Batpaw exclaimed as they entered. "How much marigold do you guys _use?_ There's signs of a large amount, but there's practically none here! Cobwebs too!"

"You're coming with us on a patrol, whether you like it or not," Foxpaw said and flicked her tail. "Come on."

For a moment, it looked like Batpaw would argue, but he simply followed them, muttering about ThunderClan's follies under his breath. They showed Batpaw everything; the Owl Tree, the Great Sycamore, the Thunderpath, Sunningrocks, even Snakerocks. Batpaw looked at the entire territory with no emotion, a blank face, simply taking it all in. Occasionally he noted things, such as where herbs were or where he might find something, but it was more to himself than Foxpaw or Tigerpaw.

"Hey, Tigerpaw?" Foxpaw asked quietly, once they were a bit ahead of Batpaw. "I'm sorry if I was rude before; it's just that even when you get in a lot of trouble, you still get to do all the cool stuff…." She sighed quietly.

"You're jealous?" Tigerpaw teased. "I was jealous that you got to go to the Gathering…so I guess we're even." He blinked at the strangeness of it.

Foxpaw smiled at him, and they continued walking along together.

Soon, they were approaching FourTrees, and had to cross the stream in front of the slope.

"We go over that slope to the Gathering," Tigerpaw explained. "See, it usually isn't very deep, but after all of the snow melts…." He took a step closer to the stream. Foxpaw let out a mischievious cry and sprang forward, pushing him into the water. He came up sputtering.  
"Foxpaw!" he howled, and struggled back to the camp. Foxpaw had collapsed on the ground, laughing.

"Wet-head!" she giggled, and Tigerpaw grabbed her by the scruff and pulled her into the water. The two of them thrashed and splashed, finally coming up laughing together. Batpaw just blinked at them, looking confused.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "We should be going home by now."

"Lighten up, Batpaw. Play a little!" Foxpaw teased. "Don't make us drag you in too!"

"I'm fine, thanks. You guys needed a bath anyway, to wash the ThunderClan stench off of you," Batpaw retorted snidely. Foxpaw and Tigerpaw glanced at each other, and nodded, not needing words. Together, they charged upwards and grabbed Batpaw, dragging him into the water. He came up coughing, water streaming from his nose. Tigerpaw was alarmed, and let him struggle to the bank, where he panted.

"You're supposed to hold your breath," Foxpaw said helpfully.

"We don't have streams and rivers like you!" Batpaw hissed. "I can't swim!"

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. He couldn't imagine not being able to swim in such shallow water. "We didn't know," he said.

"Well, now that you have half-drowned me, I'm going back to the camp," Batpaw hissed. 'Bad enough I have to be stuck with you smelly forest cats; I don't have to put up with this foxdung too!" He stalked away.

"He'll get lost," Tigerpaw sad. "We should go after him."

Foxpaw snorted. "It's much more fun to play here," she purred. Tigerpaw reared back on his hind legs and pushed her head under water, holding her for a few moments, before letting her up. Foxpaw came back up coughing and laughing at the same time.

"I'll get you!" she cried. Tigerpaw raced to the bank.

"Not likely!" he cried, before running after Batpaw.

**AN: I wrote my first one-shot today! It's a short little thing about Ravenpaw, just a random idea I had. Go check it out, please? Make me feel loved? :D**

**Holy carp! Fifty reviews! I'm impressed with you guys! THANKS!**

**Congrats to Warriros06 for getting a real account! xD**

**Ally: Darkstar appears pretty nice, yes, but only because ThunderClan is the right one to ally with, for the time being. He doesn't want another "TigerClan vs LionClan" event that might caught BloodClan or something similar coming again.**


	30. Chapter 28: Toms Are Rocks

28

Tigerpaw eventually met up with Batpaw – which was lucky for the ShadowClan apprentice, since he had been wandering near Snakerocks – and the three apprentices made it home safely. By that time, the sun was dipping down low on the horizon, and Tigerpaw was feeling sleepy again.

As soon as they got into camp, Batpaw headed for the medicine den. Foxpaw and Tigerpaw shared a rabbit, before Foxpaw decided to retire for the night. Tigerpaw watched the sun set, feeling peaceful. After a moment or two, Whitepaw sat down beside him.

"Can I talk to you _now?"_ she asked crossly.

"Sure, Whitepaw," Tigerpaw purred. "Sorry we haven't really had a chance to talk."

"I need to ask you something important," Whitepaw said, lowering her voice. "And no matter what your answer, we can still be friends."

"Okay," Tigerpaw said, feeling puzzled.

"Do you like Silvermist? I mean…_like _like her?" Whitepaw asked shyly. Tigerpaw blinked in surprise.

"_What?_" he asked.

"I mean, you're with her a lot, and you're always fussing over and worrying over her….I was just, ah, wondering if you cared for her…_that _way."

"No," Tigerpaw said. "She's more like my…aunt, I guess? Someone older that I can count on and talk to. Definitely _not _a love interest."

Whitepaw seemed relieved. "I don't want to think about anyone _that _way yet, you know?" Tigerpaw continued. "I mean, it would ruin the friendship and the fun I'm having now. I'm too young for that silly grown-up stuff." He stuck out his tongue. Whitepaw looked at her paws.

"Yeah," she said in a thick voice. "Silly stuff. I'm going to sleep. Bye, Tigerpaw." She hurried away towards the apprentice den, leaving Tigerpaw wondering what he had done wrong.

* * *

The next day was full of tough training. Tigerpaw actually got to spar with Gingerpaw – he would much rather have fought against Lionpaw, but lazy Gingerpaw was good too – and Tigerpaw actually won against the older apprentice. Snowflight was very pleased with him, although Cinderfur was absolutely furious with Gingerpaw, calling her lazy and the shame of ThunderClan. Gingerpaw didn't say anything and her expression didn't change, but her eyes glittered with anger.

Whitepaw avoided Tigerpaw all of that day; he didn't get to talk to her until that night, and all she did was bid him goodnight before falling asleep. Tigerpaw went to sleep that night feeling completely and utterly bewildered.

* * *

Tigerpaw yawned and stretched, feeling the hard muscles under his pelt. A dull glow of pride made him smile; he may be the youngest apprentice, but he was by no means the weakest. _Maybe this time I get to go to the Gathering the right way, _he thought, feeling pleased. _I won't mess up this moon. I won't!_

He padded out of his den, eager to train, but it appeared that Snowflight had gone out on the dawn patrol. Instead, he decided to visit Silvermist, as he usually did in the morning.

The kits greeted him with pleasure, as they always did, and Tigerpaw licked each of them, except for Stormkit, who considered himself too important to be fussed over and licked like a newborn. Tigerpaw played a little game with the kits, and lost himself for once, forgetting about the struggle with RiverClan or Whitepaw's sudden cold shoulder. He was happy.

It came to an end all too soon, though, with Snowflight taking him away for training. This time, they were learning how to fish. Tigerpaw was excited, remembering the fun he had with Foxpaw, but it turned out fishing didn't mean splashing around in the stream having a good time. Fishing meant sitting around on a riverbank waiting for the right moment to strike with the sun beating down on you, and wishing for nothing more than a little bit of water. Tigerpaw couldn't drink or play in it, though; that would scare the fish. Tigerpaw lashed out at several fish without even touching one, while Snowflight caught a little fish easily. Tigerpaw sat back, feeling frustrated. Farther down the bank, he saw Viperfang praising – actually praising! – Lionpaw for catching his third fish of the day. Tigerpaw stared into the stream, feeling angry. He lashed out at the water, and found himself flipping a little fish onto the bank. It had been accidental and it was a tiny thing, but Snowflight acted as if Tigerpaw had caught a beaver.

Tigerpaw took his meager catch to the elders, and watched them enjoy it, before staring at the fresh-kill pile, feeling hungry. It wasn't right for him to eat when all he had caught was a measly little fish, but he did so anyway, picking the smallest piece of prey from the pile and finishing it in a few quick gulps.

Once he was finished with his meal, he grabbed a vole and brought it to Silvermist. Even though Brightstar said he didn't have to anymore – other apprentices would do it too – he wanted to. Silvermist was a good friend, and he needed her advice now.

"Silvermist?" he asked, once she had finished eating the vole. For once, the kits hadn't swarmed him; they were all asleep.

Silvermist swallowed the last bite. "Yes, Tigerpaw?"

"I need your help," Tigerpaw confessed. "Whitepaw's been avoiding me all day, and I don't know why. I think it was something I said, but I'm not sure…." He explained their little conversation. Silvermist laughed quietly.

"Toms," she purred. "You're all as sensitive as a pile of rocks. Tell me, Tigerpaw, do you like Whitepaw? _Like _like?"

"No!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. "We're just friends! Anything else would ruin our friendship. I mean, one day your friends…the next day you're the father of a little of six!"

Silvermist burst out laughing at his horrified expression. "Tigerpaw!" she _mrrowed _laughter. "Honestly. _Toms."_ She said again. "Tigerpaw, Whitepaw is eight moons old now."

"Yeah, and I'm nearly seven," Tigerpaw said, not quite sure where this was going.

"At around eight moons –usually later, but sometimes earlier – she-cats sometimes begin to see their Clanmates not simply as friends, but as possible mates." Silvermist studied his face closely, but Tigerpaw was still confused. Silvermist sighed quietly, muttered something about toms being like rocks again, and continued. "I think Whitepaw is going through the same phase," she said. "She's starting to see you as mate potential. This might be because you're the only male apprentice aside from Lionpaw, and he's her brother…or it could be because she genuinely cares for you."

Tigerpaw suddenly realized what Silvermist was getting at. "StarClan!" he gulped. "W-what do I do?"

"That depends," Silvermist said, studying him again. "If you care for her that way too, then you'll tell her so. They're be a little courtship phase, and then eventually you'll decide whether you want to be her one-and-only or not."

"But what if…what if I don't like her that way?" Tigerpaw asked, his ears flattening with discomfort.

"Then you need to tell her that, so she doesn't keep her hopes up," Silvermist said firmly. "Right now, you're both still very young, and her feelings for you will probably pass to some other tom."

"I don't want to hurt her feelings!" Tigerpaw said, almost feeling like he was drowning with she-cat problems. Tom weren't supposed to put up with this stuff!

"Then be sensitive about it," Silvermist said.

"But I'm a rock, remember?" Tigerpaw said. "I don't know how to be sensitive!"

"You're going to have to follow your heart," Silvermist said simply. "I can't give you the words she needs to hear; you have to do that yourself."

Tigerpaw sat down and rested his head on his paws. "Life is hard," he moaned. "Why did StarClan make she-cats, anyway?"

Silvermist chuckled. "When you're older, you'll understand," she said and gave his head a gentle lick. "Run along, now. I want you to tell her as soon as you see her, understand?"

"Right," Tigerpaw muttered, and padded out of the den, feeling worse for once after talking with Silvermist, rather than better.


	31. Chapter 29: Mentor Swap

**AN: Didn't note this on my last chapter, but a big thank-you to everyone who read my Ravenpaw one-shot! You all make me feel loved. 3**

**Warriors06: It's only going to get worse from here, buddy. And glad you like Foxpaw, I love her too!**

29

Tigerpaw took a deep breath as he spotted Whitepaw, who was sharing tongues with her brother. He took a step forward, and then stopped, chickening out. _I can't do it with Lionpaw there, _he reasoned. _Yeah, I'll just wait for a little bit, and get her alone. Then I can tell her and we can still be friends and everything can be like it was….I hope._

"Tigerpaw!" Snowflight exclaimed, padding towards him. "Go find the other apprentices, and bring them to the training clearing, will you?"

Tigerpaw blinked. "Why?"

"It's a surprise," Snowflight laughed. "Hurry up, now."

Tigerpaw had no choice but to pad towards Whitepaw and Lionpaw. Whitepaw blinked at him and smiled for a moment, before looking carefully cold again. She was still a bit angry about him blowing her off, it looked like.

"Snowflight wants all the apprentices in the training clearing, right now," Tigerpaw said. "He wouldn't tell me why."

Whitepaw and Lionpaw glanced at each other.

"You had better not done something to get us into trouble," Lionpaw growled, before getting to his paws. "Come on, Whitepaw." The two of them padded away, leaving Tigerpaw's pelt prickling. Stupid Lionpaw.

Tigerpaw turned and looked around for Gingerpaw and Foxpaw. Gingerpaw was sleeping in the shade, looking as if she hadn't trained all day. "Gingerpaw!" he called. "The mentors want us at the training clearing!" Gingerpaw stirred and blinked at him, before yawning a long time and getting to her paws. Tigerpaw continued his search for Foxpaw, finally finding her in the apprentice den.

"Foxpaw, the mentors want us in the training clearing."

Foxpaw sat up, blinking. "Why?"

"I don't know, Snowflight wouldn't say. Come on." Tigerpaw flicked his tail, and Foxpaw batted at it.

"I'm coming, you impatient furball," she said, grabbing the tip of his tail in her mouth.

"It isn't me that's impatient, it's Snowflight," Tigerpaw protested, flicking his tail out of Foxpaw's jaws. "C'mon."

* * *

The five apprentices waited for their mentors to arrive; Lionpaw was glancing at Tigerpaw every few moments, as if trying to see what Tigerpaw had done wrong to get them into trouble; Gingerpaw was sleeping again; Foxpaw was kneading the ground with her paws eagerly; Whitepaw was looking straight ahead, not betraying any emotions; and Tigerpaw was changing his behavior patterns every few moments.

Finally, the scents of their mentors became apparent. Snowflgiht, Firestorm, Viperfang, Patchpelt, and Cinderfur all appeared. They sat down opposite their mentors.

"Now, most apprentices just have one mentor for all of their training," Snowflight said.

"It isn't often that apprentices get to switch, unless their mentor is injured or killed," Firestorm continued.

"We've decided to give you all an opportunity to train with other mentors," Patchpelt began,

"So you can all learn about different styles and have different lessons," Cinderfur finished.

"We're swapping mentors and apprentices today," Viperfang said. "You each get to pick a partner apprentice, and then train with a mentor of your choice."

The apprentices' eyes all widened at the same time (except for Gingerpaw, who was just now waking up again).

"Awesome!" Foxpaw crowed. "This will be so cool!"

Tigerpaw glanced at Whitepaw. Maybe if he chose her, she wouldn't be mad at him anymore. "I choose Whitepaw!" he said. Whitepaw turned, and her eyes lit up as a smile stretched her muzzle.

"I want…Snowflight!" Whitepaw purred, her eyes bright as she looked at her father. He smiled at her.

"I call Lionpaw." Gingerpaw said sleepily. "I want Patchpelt."

"Then you'll have me, Lionpaw," Cinderfur mewed to the golden apprentice. Lionpaw looked irritated at not having a choice, but he nodded.

Tigerpaw had to choose between Firestorm and Viperfang; there was no contest. "Firestorm," he said, and Firestorm rolled his eyes.

"Don't Snowflight and I practically swap apprentices on a daily basis anyway?" the ginger warrior quipped, but looked pleased.

Foxpaw's tail drooped, and she looked at Viperfang timidly.

"I won't eat you," Viperfang said, glancing at Lionpaw quickly. Tigerpaw was surprised to see Lionpaw's whiskers twitch with amusement; maybe Lionpaw was getting along with Viperfang after all, despite his heartless encounter with Silvermist.

"Foxpaw, you'll get to pick your lesson, since you don't have a partner," Viperfang said. "The rest of you will just have to accept your lessons as they are." Foxpaw seemed to be a bit more cheery. She whispered something in the scarred warrior's ear, and he blinked, before nodding.

"Very well," Viperfang said, and he and Foxpaw padded off together.

"Lionpaw, Gingerpaw, we're going to hunt birds today," Cinderfur announced. "Come on, then. Don't be sluggish, Gingerpaw." Gingerpaw let out a growl, and followed Patchpelt and Cinderfur, glancing at Lionpaw several times as they went.

Whitepaw smiled at Tigerpaw.

"Thanks for choosing me," she purred.

"Of course," Tigerpaw smiled. He turned to Firestorm. "So what are we going to do today, _mentor?_"

"Don't be cheeky," Firestorm said, cuffing Tigerpaw's ear. "I hope you're glad you picked Whitepaw, because you two are going to spar."

Tigerpaw glanced at Whitepaw. Sparring with other apprentices was always kind of dangerous, and he knew he was stronger than the female apprentice. He didn't want to hurt her by accident.

"Think you can take me?" Whitepaw purred, and Tigerpaw grinned.

"With one paw tied behind my back," Tigerpaw retorted.

"The usual rules stand; no claws, nipping is allowed but no deep bites, and we can't have a standoff for too long. You win by pinning the other cat down until they relent. Also, I'd play nice, since Batpaw seems just as likely to claw you as to tend to you." Snowflight winked at them, before both he and Firestorm stepped back to give them more room. Tigerpaw and Whitepaw faced each other, moving in a semi-circle as they sized each other up. Tigerpaw's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing Whitepaw, looking for any sign of weakness. There was a gleam in her eye, and suddenly she sprang forward, catching Tigerpaw by surprise and pinning him down. Tigerpaw struggled underneath her, and kicked upward, gentling the blow a bit so it wouldn't hurt her too much. She landed on her paws neatly, and didn't seem injured at all, for she sprang at him again as he was scrambling to his paws, and knocked him down once more.

This time she held Tigerpaw down firmly on his side, where he was unable to struggle. She fastened her teeth on his ear, lightly enough not to hurt him, but firmly enough that if he struggled, he would feel real pain. Finally, Tigerpaw lay limp, panting.

"I give up," he said, and Whitepaw stepped off.

"Didn't think I could do that, did you?" she purred, her eyes glittering with happiness. Tigerpaw laughed.

"I didn't," he confessed, and then frowned. "Bet you can't do it again."

Within moments, Tigerpaw was once again flat on the ground, hearing Whitepaw's laughter ringing in his ears.

**AN: To answer a few questions:**

**ThunderClan didn't use to be able to fish, or even to eat fish, but they've gradually adapted over time. The Twolegs are gone now, except for near Treecut Place, so there is more fish for everyone. Forest prey isn't already around, so TC learned to adapt.**

**Does Tiger love Fox? As he said, he's too young for such silly things. He doesn't really have those feelings for anyone, just yet. Whether he might love Fox - or even White, for that matter – remains to be seen.**

**And I'm glad that LittleSpark enjoyed the "I'm a rock" part. It's funny because it's true! ;)**


	32. Chapter 30: Gingerpaw

**AN: Don't hate me, Cinderpaw11. ;^;**

30

Tigerpaw and Whitepaw sparred once more (with Tigerpaw coming out on top this time) before Snowflight and Firestorm declared the training was over. Whitepaw was obviously pleased with herself, but Tigerpaw felt guilty. How was he going to tell her how she felt? He couldn't ruin her good mood now. And it wasn't like she had actually asked him directly, or anything…maybe Silvermist was mistaken.

Whitepaw and Tigerpaw were the first cats back to camp, although Foxpaw arrived shortly after and sat with them. Whitepaw seemed wary of Foxpaw, but not overly uncomfortable. Foxpaw was her usual cheerful self, although she did express a little irritation that Tigerpaw had chosen Whitepaw over what Foxpaw called his "best friend."

"After all," she argued, "you and I were friends first."

"Enemies too, sometimes," Tigerpaw reminded her, and Foxpaw rolled her eyes.

"What did Viperfang teach you?" Whitepaw asked, changing the subject. Foxpaw simply grinned without answering.

A short time later, the other two apprentices arrived. Lionpaw was hissing under his breath, a furious expression on his face. He grabbed a thrush and then stalked into the warrior's den.

"I should go see what's wrong," Whitepaw sighed, getting to her paws. She followed her brother.

"What's up with Lionpaw?" Foxpaw asked as Gingerpaw came to sit beside them.

"Oh, Cinderfur was just being her usual self," Gingerpaw said. "I hate her. Sometimes."

"Why?" Tigerpaw asked. "She seems nice enough."

"She's stuck-up and rude and thinks her kits are better than everyone else!" Gingerpaw exclaimed, and then licked her chest to calm herself down. "She and Lionpaw had a HUGE fight. I think he was about to claw her face right off!" her eyes were round. "I've never seen her so angry, honestly." She shook her head. "I'm going to go talk to him. See ya!"

"I don't know what she sees in him," Foxpaw sighed. Tigerpaw blinked at her curiously. Foxpaw laughed.

"Can't you tell?" she asked. "My sister's been padding after Lionpaw for the last moon!" Tigerpaw let out a snort, thinking Foxpaw was joking, but saw that she was serious.

"_Lionpaw?"_ he asked with disbelief.

Foxpaw shrugged. "I think she just has bad taste," she purred with amusement. "He hasn't been giving her the eye, though, so things might turn out badly. She's too good for that stuck-up lump of fur anyway."

"She-cats!" Tigerpaw muttered under his breath. "Going after anything that moves!"

Foxpaw blinked at him. "What did you say?"

Tigerpaw coughed. "Er, nothing."

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the apprentice den. Tigerpaw could hear Lionpaw shouting something – shouting at Gingerpaw? – and thought he heard "lazy no-good kit" before Gingerpaw raced out of the apprentice den, disappearing into the voice. Foxpaw gulped.

"Looks like she popped the question," Foxpaw said sadly. "That didn't go well. I'll be back soon, Tigerpaw, I need to help her." She raced into the forest after her sister, leaving Tigerpaw alone. Tigerpaw turned to the apprentice den and saw Whitepaw leave, looking furious.

"I can't believe he did that!" Whitepaw fumed. "I can't believe he would say that to her?"

"What did he say? What happened?" Tigerpaw asked. Whitepaw glanced around quickly. Several warriors who had been staring at the spectacle quickly looked away.

"Gingerpaw's had a crush on Lionpaw for awhile now," she whispered. "I knew he didn't like her back, and I hinted at it…but she just wouldn't listen. She just confessed her feelings to Lionpaw and asked if they might be mates someday and he…." Whitepaw quivered with rage and shook her head. "He said some terrible things. He broke her heart." Whitepaw stared at the gorse tunnel that led into the forest with misty eyes. "I would die if it happened to me, Tigerpaw. It was awful."

It was then that Tigerpaw realized he couldn't speak his feelings to Whitepaw; not without possibly ruining their friendship forever.

Storm clouds were gathering overhead, casting a dark shadow over the camp. Tigerpaw shuddered in a sudden chilling breeze, and felt his pelt prickle with unease. He blinked up at the stormy sky; the clouds seemed to have appeared almost from nowhere.

* * *

Gingerpaw didn't return until late in the evening, when the other apprentices were already in bed. She refused to look at Lionpaw, and was quivering slightly when she sat down in her nest. Tigerpaw glanced at Whitepaw quickly, before looking away. He couldn't tell her, he just couldn't.

Tigerpaw had never really liked Gingerpaw, but seeing her so miserable made his heart clench with sympathy. He finally couldn't stand it anymore, and padded out of the nursery. Cinderfur was sitting by the camp entrance, facing the gorse tunnel.

"Hey, Tigerpaw," she said tiredly. "I'm on vigil tonight…lucky me?"

Tigerpaw blinked at her. She didn't seem like the kind of cat that would be really angry with Gingerpaw _or _Lionpaw. Still, if it had happened to both of them….

"Lucky you," Tigerpaw said, sitting down beside her. "I wish _I _was having a vigil tonight."

Cinderfur laughed quietly. "Yeah, your first vigil would be your warrior one. After that, you have to stand guard at night sometimes…being an apprentice is wonderful." She yawned, and rested her head on her paws. "I remember when my kits were apprentices…." Cinderfur rattled on about her kits and how wonderful they were for a good twenty minutes, before Tigerpaw made a feeble excuse and slipped back into the apprentice den. He wasn't sure what was worse, Gingerpaw's sadness or Cinderfur talking nonstop about her kits.

Tigerpaw yawned slowly as he turned around several times in his nest. Gingerpaw was luckily asleep, and most of the other apprentices were too. Tigerpaw's eyes finally drifted closed.

"_You haven't done much this moon," Tigerstar growled, not allowing Tigerpaw time to get his bearings in the Dark Forest._

_Tigerpaw shrugged. "There hasn't been much to be done, honestly," he replied. "The Clan's been laid-back, RiverClan's backed off for the moment…and we have Batpaw now, so we don't have to worry about the medicine cat thing, for a little while."_

_Tigerstar laughed quietly. "Don't worry, Tigerpaw, it is about to get much more exciting," he said. Tigerpaw blinked._

"_What do you mean, Tigerstar?" he asked._

_Tigerstar shook his head. "I cannot tell you everything, Tigerpaw," he said. "But I can tell you this: Look for the enemy that is often caught sleeping."_

_Tigerpaw frowned. "What does that mean?"_

"_You're needed," Tigerstar said simply, and began to fade."Wake up Tigerpaw. Wake—"_

"—Up!" Tigerpaw realized the voice wasn't coming from his dreams. He opened his eyes, into Whitepaw's anxious face.

"What is it?" Tigerpaw mumbled. Whitepaw's face was taunt with worry.

"Cinderfur's dead," she said.


	33. Chapter 31: Accusations

**AN: Once this story draws to a close (this will be in some time, never fear) I'm going to start another fanfiction. I have two ideas, but I'm not sure which to choose first, so I've created a poll. Please vote on it (details of the stories are on my profile.) Thank you!**

**And please check out my newest entry, a little quiz about the Erins. Thanks!**

31

Tigerpaw's eyes widened. "What?" he exclaimed, springing to his paws. Whitepaw flicked her tail, and he followed her out of the apprentice den. Cinderfur's body was lying in the mud – the storm must have come during the night – face down. Blood stained the mud around her.

"Who did this?" Tigerpaw hissed.

"No one knows," Whitepaw said softly. "Her body was facing with her back to the entrance, and her throat was slashed. Someone must have come up from behind and slit it, or something…the rain washed away any scent or footprints, and most of the blood.

Tigerpaw's mind was racing. Could it have been RiverClan? "Hang on," he said to Whitepaw, before running to the gorse tunnel and studying it carefully. There was no scent, and the tunnel was perfectly intact. What's more, there was no hair or anything snagged on any of the gorse, something that even ThunderClan had trouble avoiding.

"I don't think it was anyone from out of camp," Tigerpaw said as he returned to Whitepaw. Her eyes were round with fear.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means," Tigerpaw said, his heart as cold as ice, "a ThunderClan cat murdered her."

Whitepaw opened her mouth in disbelief. Brightstar padded forward, and sprang upon the HighRock.

"ThunderClan!" she yowled. "Cinderfur has been murdered! Her body was found in the mud with her back to the tunnel, with no trace of scent or footprints, or even of a struggle. She died without ever knowing what hit her. Clanmates, I ask you, who could have done this?"

"RiverClan!" Badgerstripe snarled, his pelt bristling with anger. "RiverClan killed our mother!"

Birchpelt and Blackstream huddled near the body, their eyes glazed with grief.

"Who could do such a thing?" Patchpelt whispered, licking Cinderfur's fur. "My mate…."

"No!" Tigerpaw cried, and the Clan turned to stare at him. His pelt prickled with unease, but he continued. "There is no sign anyone came from the tunnels," Tigerpaw said. "There is no fur or fresh footprints, or scent."

"What do you mean?" Birchpelt asked, turning dull eyes to Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw gulped.

"If no one came into the Clan, and no one came out…the killer is still here."

The Clan bursts into cries of outrage.

"Tigerpaw!" Badgerstripe cried. "Are you accusing one of our Clanmates of _murder?_"

"I'm not accusing anyone!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. "The facts say it for themselves. I don't know, maybe the killer left another way…." He shrank under the hostile glares.

"Tigerpaw has a point," Brightstar said, her gaze sweeping over the Clan. "The only way in or out of the Clan is through that tunnel. Firestorm, Snowflight, check the rest of the camps for any area where the killer could have entered or left. If anyone else holds any other information, please come forward now."

The Clan muttered among themselves, whispering and glancing at each other with wide, fearful eyes. Could a Clanmate really have done this?

Snowflight and Firestorm soon returned. "We did a thorough check, Brightstar," Firestorm said. "There are no areas where anyone could have left or entered beside the gorse tunnel."

"So it was one of us?" Badgerstripe demanded, his eyes blazing with fury. "Come forth, then! Declare yourselves!" He bared his faces and unsheathed his claws. "I'll fight you right now!"

"Badgerstripe, be quiet!" Brightstar snapped. "No one will come forward if you attack them. Everyone, please. Someone must have done it, and I'm not saying it was one of us. Whether it was or not, does anyone have any information or thoughts on who might have committed this crime?"

For a moment, the Clan was silent. Then, Viperfang growled one word, "Silvermist."

The Clan went dead silent.

"Don't you see?" Viperfang asked, turning to the rest of the Clan. "What Clan is she from? _RiverClan. _Isn't it convenient that she comes here when tensions with RiverClan are already high? Isn't it convenient that she is alone, with kits, a pitiful helpless creature by any standards? Isn't it convenient that these are the exact things that Brightstar would never turn a cat away for? Isn't it convenient that although RiverClan protested at the Gathering, they haven't attacked us since then? Isn't it convenient how Silvermist is never guarded; after all, she is just a queen with her kits. And isn't it convenient that she _wasn't in her den last night?" _His blazing gaze turned on the silver queen, at the entrance to the nursery. Her eyes were round with shock.

"Shut up, furball," a voice from the medicine den hissed. "Of course she wasn't in her den; she was with me. She wasn't feeling well."

Viperfang turned to Batpaw, who was sitting in the den. "Yes?" he growled. "But did you watch her go back to her den? Or did she kill Cinderfur then?"

Batpaw's eyes narrowed. "I _accompanied _her to her den, you mange-pelted buffoon," he snarled.

"So perhaps it was you!" Viperfang shot back. "After all, you are a ShadowClan cat, and you didn't want to come here. Maybe ShadowClan's kindness was nothing but a sham for you to spread fear through our Clan by killing one of us!"

Batpaw raised his eyebrows. "Then I'm hardly going about it the right way, aren't I, if you're already suspicious?" he meowed. "No, foxdung-for-brains, the one you're wanting isn't going to be obvious. This isn't some random attack; if it was, it would have been someone that was an outsider to the Clan, like myself or Silvermist. This was the work of someone with a grudge against Cinderfur." He nodded to the body. "Know anyone like that?"

"Silence!" Brightstar thundered. "Viperfang, you should be ashamed for accusing Silvermist. Batpaw, hold your tongue. Now, we need to think about this logically; I believe Batpaw is right, this is not some random killing. And what would Silvermist have to gain from this? Cinderfur's death will weaken our Clan, yes, but wouldn't Silvermist know we would throw her out if we suspected she was a threat? She would not abandon her kits, after she struggled so hard to find a safe home for them? And as Batpaw said, if he was trying to hurt our Clan, he would have been sneakier about it."

Viperfang let out a low snarl.

"For all we know, Viperfang could be pinning the blame on others to hide his own crime," Whitepaw muttered. "After what he did to Silvermist, I wouldn't be surprised."

Tigerpaw nodded in agreement, but he was trying to think of who had a grudge against Cinderfur. Then, it hit him. Lionpaw! Lionpaw and Cinderfur had apparently almost fought when they were training. And Tigerpaw knew from experience Lionpaw had a nasty temper. Not to mention after his little spat with Gingerpaw, he must have been brimming with anger.

_But would he really kill anyone? _A tiny voice nagged. _Would he really, honestly kill anyone?_

Tigerpaw remembered when Lionpaw attacked him. _Yes, _he thought. _Yes, he would._


	34. Chapter 32: ApprenticeClan Together

32

Tigerpaw opened his mouth to say something against it, and then closed it. There was no real evidence against Lionpaw, there was no real reason for anyone to suspect that Lionpaw had done it, really. One fight didn't mean much to most cat. But then again, most cats didn't have the hatred that Lionpaw had for Tigerpaw.

Tigerpaw gulped._ Could I be next? _He wondered. _If I say something and no one believes me but Lionpaw knows I suspect him, Lionpaw might try to kill me. And for the moment, I only have one life…._He shivered.

"Did any other cat see anyone stirring during the night?" Brightstar asked, blinking down at the Clan. Cats glanced at each other, but no one said a word.

"Cinderfur was the only one awake," Patchpelt said in a voice choked with grief. "I-I wanted to stand vigil with her, but she told me to get some rest…." He closed his eyes, head bowed.

"If you had, you might be dead as well, and your kits need you," Brightstar said gently. She let out a quiet sigh. "Batpaw and I will have to speak with StarClan today, to see if they will help us, she said and sprang down, disappearing into Batpaw's den.

The Clan whispered with panicked voices.

"Has StarClan forsaken us?" Tigerpaw heard Blackstream whisper, and his resolve deepened. He was going to prove Lionpaw's guilt, somehow.

Brightstar and Batpaw soon left, together; they wouldn't need protection if they were going to Highstones.

Duskclaw sprang onto the HighRock. "Since Brightstar is gone and Cinderfur is no longer with us, Gingerpaw will need a new mentor," he said quietly. "Lightcloud, Gingerpaw, come here please. Gingerpaw, Cinderfur was your mentor for three moons, and she cared for you and trained you for all of those three moons. I hope she passed on what she could for you, but it is time for you to take another mentor."

Gingerpaw's eyes were tightly closed as she waited, biting her lip. Tigerpaw felt a pang of sympathy for her. "Lightcloud, you will be Gingerpaw's new mentor," Duskclaw continued. "I hope you can pass on your kindness and sympathy for her, and support her in her time of need." They touched noses, and padded away to sit down together. Duskclaw remained atop the HighRock.

"We cannot ignore the fact that the attacker may have still left camp somehow," Duskclaw continued. "Firestorm, Snowflight, take your apprentices and do a patrol near RiverClan territory, as well as WindClan's. Viperfang and Lightcloud should take their apprentices towards ShadowClan."

"What about us?" Badgerstripe hissed. "We want to find who did this!"

Duskclaw's amber eyes didn't change. "Your Clan needs you here," he said. "Your mother is gone, but your Clan remains. Be strong for us." With that, he descended the HighRock. Badgerstripe looked furious, but he didn't argue, simply lashed his tail.

Blindeye and Stubtail limped out of the elder's den together. "We should bury Cinderfur, while the ground is soft," Stubtail croaked. Patchpelt nodded. He and his kits carried Cinderfur out of the den, with the elders following to perform the ceremony to send Cinderfur safely to StarClan.

"Come on, let's go," Snowflight said quietly, flicking his tail to Tigerpaw and Whitepaw. They stood up together and padded out of camp, following their mentors. Whitepaw pressed her pelt against Tigerpaw, shivering.

"I can't believe she's dead," Whitepaw whispered. "First Petalcloud, then Cinderfur…I'm really worried, Tigerpaw. What do you think might happen?"

"I don't know," Tigerpaw said simply. "I mean, I guess StarClan has some sort of plan for us…." Inwardly he wasn't so sure, but he didn't want to worry his friend.

Whitepaw nodded slowly. "At least Lightcloud will be a better mentor for Gingerpaw," Whitepaw said. "According to Gingerpaw, Cinderfur didn't teach her much…it seems wrong to speak of the dead, though."

Tigerpaw shrugged. "I'm sure she's in StarClan watching us, and I'm sure she knows she isn't perfect," he said simply. "It might be a bit soon though, and I'm sure Badgerstripe would claw you into strips."

Whitepaw laughed quietly. "Yeah," she said. "Whoever did it had better watch out, since once Badgerstripe finds out, they won't be around for long!"

Tigerpaw nodded in agreement, and the patrol continued. There were no footprints near Sunningrocks, ruling out RiverClan, and no footprints at the WindClan border, either. Near the slope above FourTrees, they met up with the other patrol; there was no sign that anyone from ShadowClan had been in their territory recently. The patrols returned to camp and reported their findings to Duskclaw. He seemed more worried than ever.

"The only thing it could be besides one of us is a loner or rogue in the territory…but we haven't had intruders for moons…." He sighed. "We have to face the facts, then. The traitor is indeed in ThunderClan, and is indeed one of us." He closed his eyes.

"Hopefully my sister will have answers for us when she returns," Snowflight said softly. Duskclaw simply nodded.

"Every warrior must be accompanied by another at all times," he ordered. "No patrol can leave camp without three warriors. Apprentices must remain in camp unless they are accompanied by a warrior as well."

Snowflight nodded respectfully. "I shall see to it that it is done," he said, before flicking his tail at the other warriors.

Tigerpaw blinked at the other apprentices, at a complete loss of what to do.

Foxpaw padded up to them. "Find any clues?" she asked hopefully, but was met by several headshakes. "Come into the apprentice den, then," she whispered. The other apprentices followed her, and she sat down in her nest.

"Attention, ApprenticeClan," she announced. "We have a mission now, handed down to us by StarClan. We must find out who killed Cinderfur!"

Gingerpaw wrinkled her nose. "That sounds kind of dangerous, Foxstar," she said slowly.

"Are you afraid, Gingerstep?" Foxpaw asked. "Do I need to find a new deputy?"

"No, no," Gingerpaw protested. "I'm just saying, though. If a cat killed Cinderfur, they might kill anyone else in their way." Her ears flattened.

"Cinderfur wasn't in ApprenticeClan," Foxpaw said confidently. "We'll watch out for each other."

"But, Foxstar…what if the killer is one of us?" Tigerpaw asked. He couldn't help but glance at Lionpaw, but Lionpaw's face was impassive.

"Tigerpaw!" Foxpaw exclaimed in a shocked voice. "How can you say that? Don't you trust your fellow Clanmates?"

"Cinderfur did, and she's dead," Tigerpaw retorted. "I'm just saying, we don't have a clue as to who might be the killer. That means we have to suspect everyone."

Foxpaw's eyes narrowed. "Well, we can't accuse each other without evidence, eh? And that will be our job. We'll keep our eyes peeled for any sign of sneaky behavior and the like. I have full confidence in ApprenticeClan; we'll find the killer in no time!"

**AN: No worries, guys, Cinderfur made it to StarClan a-okay. **

**Cinderpaw11: *gasps* Someone actually **_**likes **_**Lionpaw? Are you feeling unwell? xD Viperfang's a jerk-face, I would agree.**

**It could be just about anyone, eh? Everyone has a motive. ;)**


	35. Chapter 33: Deathberries

33

The next few days passed without incident; Badgerstripe interrogated several cats before being caught by Brightstar. Brightstar and Batpaw had returned the next day, but they were not allowed tell the Clan what StarClan had told them. In the meantime, no cat acted strangely, although Tigerpaw kept his eyes peeled. Tigerstar hadn't visited him in his dreams since he had given him a warning, although Tigerpaw tried to get into the Dark Forest each night, in hopes that Tigerstar could help him. The only other option Tigerpaw could think about was going to Highstones, but since Brightstar had still not made any moves to catch or expose the killer in the Clan, Tigerpaw assumed StarClan hadn't had much t say. In the end, there was nothing they could do but simply wait it out and hope that StarClan would send them a clue.

The half-moon approached quickly, and Tigerpaw was excited to be nearly eight moons old. That made Lionpaw and Whitepaw nine, and Foxpaw and Gingerpaw were ten moons. He was also excited about the coming Gathering; he hadn't done anything wrong that moon, so hopefully he would be able to go to his first real Gathering.

_Maybe I'll mention it later, to Brightstar, _Tigerpaw thought. _When the killer is caught, perhaps, when things settle down a bit._

In the meantime, Tigerpaw vowed he would train hard, and try to gather some sort of evidence against Lionpaw. Deep in his heart, though, Tigerpaw knew there was no evidence to be had, unless some kind of miracle came his way.

* * *

Tigerpaw awoke early on the day of his eight-moon day, feeling happy and bright. Still Tigerstar did not visit him in his dreams, and this oddly made Tigerpaw feel good, strangely enough. He felt full of energy and ready to go, ready to prove to ThunderClan that he was going to be a great cat.

He glanced at Lionpaw out of the corner of his eye, before standing. He stepped out of the den, with Whitepaw uncurling and following him shortly.

"Tigerpaw," Brightstar purred. "Up early, aren't you? Good, good, just what ThunderClan needs. Whitepaw too, I see? Excellent! I need both of you to go with Batpaw to collect some herbs. He's been looking for a certain berry and has had trouble finding it. I want to see if you can help him."

"Don't we need a warrior?" Whitepaw asked.

"There shouldn't be any problem with the three of you, I'm sure, although if you want a warrior I am sure Viperfang will be happy to go," Brightstar said.

"No thanks," Tigerpaw said quickly, and bounded off towards Batpaw's den.

"You again?" Batpaw sighed. "I'm not going _anywhere _with you, furball," he growled at Tigerpaw.

"Are you coming?" Whitepaw asked, peeking into the den. She blinked in surprise. "You've really straightened the place out!" she exclaimed. "Petalcloud was always rather messy, StarClan-bless her." She smiled warmly at Batpaw. "I don't think we ever really officially met. I'm Whitepaw."

"I'm charmed," Batpaw replied with a rare smile. "Let's go, I suppose."

They padded all over the territory that day, going wherever Batpaw thought there might be herbs he needed. He knew the territory decently well by now; Whitepaw and Tigerpaw were just there for protection, mainly.

"Batpaw, are these the berries you were looking for?" Whitepaw's voice came from a nearby bush. Tigerpaw padded towards her. Whitepaw was sniffing at a bush dotted with bright red berries. She opened her mouth.

"Whitepaw, no!" Batpaw barked, racing forward. "Whitepaw, drop it!"

Whitepaw backed away, looking surprised. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Furball, those are deathberries!" Batpaw hissed, his black fur bristling. "Get away from them, they don't do anything good. ShadowClan uses them sometimes for older cats who won't survive for long, and want to pass onto StarClan as easily as possible."

Whitepaw gasped. "I thought they just made you sick or something," she mewed.

Batpaw's eyes narrowed. "Who told you that load of mousedung?" he growled.

"Er, just someone," Whitepaw said quickly. "I, ah, see some more berries over there. Are those what you're looking for?" She flicked her tail feebly. Batpaw's eyes narrowed.

"If you thought they'd make you sick, why were you going to eat them?" Tigerpaw demanded. Whitepaw looked away from him.

"No reason," she said quietly. Tigerpaw's eyes narrowed, and he almost looked like Batpaw.

"Someone lied to you," Batpaw growled. "Someone wanted you to get hurt. Why?"

"No one lied!" Whitepaw said shrilly. "Honestly! I must have misheard, or something. I'm sorry for the trouble. Let's just go, please?"

Batpaw just let out another growl and stalked away to look at the berries Whitepaw had indicated earlier. Tigerpaw watched Whitepaw closely. Had someone tried to kill his friend?

_Who would she listen to, about something like that? _He wondered. _Someone close to her, for sure. Lionpaw? But even Lionpaw wouldn't want to kill his sister…unless she saw something. Maybe she saw him killing Cinderfur, or something! But why would she eat a berry if she thought it would make her sick, willingly? Does she want to be sick for some reason? Why would that be?_

Tigerpaw felt overwhelmed by the questions pulsing through him. _If Batpaw wasn't here, she'd be dead, _he realized. _I had no idea about the deathberries…Batpaw saved her life! Maybe he isn't as bad as we thought._

**AN: Poor Cinderpaw doesn't like suspense? Well, I'll give you a hint: the killer was one of the cats you listed.**

**Aren't I helpful? xD**

**Warriors06: You mean Gingerpaw, not Goldenpaw, I assume? xD**


	36. Chapter 34: The Falls

**AN: *purrs* Lots of reviews and theories, eh? Don't you love a good mystery? **

***pats Cinderpaw11* I'm sorry I'm so unhelpful, darling, but it really wouldn't be as much fun if I spoiled if for you, eh? I can't tell you which group it was in, that'd spoil the fun. It wasn't Tigerstar though, certainly; he can only affect the Dark Forest. For the moment. ;) And you feel that something is wrong with White and Fox? In what way?**

**Allygirl: I can tell you for certain that Lionpaw didn't love Cinderfur; the fight he got into with her was because of pure anger, nothing more and nothing less. Cinderfur's pretty old for him, too. And I certainly don't blame you for trying!**

**Warriors06: Maybe, maybe not.**

**star: You could interpret it to mean that.**

**everyone: With the theories flying around like the wind, there are a few things you should know: Remember that Tigerpaw isn't an all-seeing god. There may be details that he doesn't notice that you do, and that could hint to the killer. Keep your eyes peeled, because you can't hope that he knows the answer all of the time; he's still a young thing, remember. This includes his thoughts and conclusions; it is a little bit like the first three Harry Potter stories, when they were trying to figure out who the villain was. Sometimes the evidence fit perfectly, but their villain was still not who they expected. Think of Tigerpaw the same way; for all we know, no one might have been trying to kill Whitepaw on purpose, she might have heard a rumor about the berries making her sick and wanted to get out of training, or something like that. Just because Tigerpaw makes a conclusion doesn't mean it is always right.**

**And this is a really long author's note, so back to the story! xD**

34

Batpaw eventually did find the herbs that he needed, as well as the berries, and he returned to camp obviously rather pleased, although that might not have just been because of his findings. Tigerpaw kept a careful eye on Whitepaw, wanting to make sure she wasn't in any danger, self-inflicted or not. He was worried about her now._ Maybe I can get her to confess who told her the berries would make her sick, or why, _he thought.

"Whitepaw," he said before they entered camp, "can I speak with you?"

Whitepaw blinked, and nodded, following Tigerpaw to the foot of a large oak.

"Who told you the berries would make you sick?" Tigerpaw asked. Whitepaw glanced away from him.

"I wish you'd stop worrying, Tigerpaw. I'm obviously fine. The berries weren't intended for me to eat anyway."

"Then why did you?" Tigerpaw pressed. "Why did you eat them?"

"It was supposed to be a prank!" Whitepaw growled. "I was supposed to feed them to…someone, and then say someone else had told me they were yummy. It was just supposed to be a little prank, nothing more. I just wasn't sure though, and I wanted to test them out for myself to make sure we didn't really hurt anyone. Honest, the cat who helped me think of the prank probably misheard, or was thinking of a different berry, or something."

Tigerpaw blinked slowly. _A prank? _He wondered. _Maybe it was just a little prank…something harmless. Maybe whoever told her about it was just intending for it to be something silly….But if Whitepaw hadn't tried them with Batpaw around, someone could have been killed! Somehow, with all that has happened, I don't think this was just a little prank. Someone was either trying to get rid of someone else, or they were planning on pinning the blame on someone….Maybe it wasn't Whitepaw that witnessed the crime, it was someone else, and they've kept quiet….Should I tell Brightstar? No, I can't. I still don't have evidence, just a bunch of guesses. _He sighed quietly. "Thanks anyway, Whitepaw," he said quietly, and then nuzzled her side. "I'm glad you're okay."

Whitepaw smiled at him, and nodded, before padding away to the fresh-kill pile. She ignored her brother as he and Viperfang passed her, heading for the camp entrance. Gingerpaw and Foxpaw were sharing tongues near the apprentice den, although Foxpaw stood up and padded towards Tigerpaw once he appeared. Gingerpaw waited for a moment, before padding towards her white friend.

"Hey," Foxpaw purred, swiping her tongue over Tigerpaw's ear. "How are you?"

"A little shaken," Tigerpaw replied, and quickly explained all that had happened. Foxpaw's eyes were wide.

"Whitepaw nearly died?" she whispered. "Shouldn't we tell someone?"

Tigerpaw shrugged. "No harm came from it in the end, thanks to Batpaw, and we really don't have any evidence."

Foxpaw's eyes followed the black apprentice as he appeared for a moment to grab a mouse, before stalking back into his den. "So he's doing more than just eating our prey, then?" she asked, her voice ripe with amusement. "Good for him, I suppose. He needs a few friends to settle into the Clan, and I don't think we helped any." Her whiskers twitched with amusement; she was clearly remembering her little water fight with Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw smiled at the memory, and felt himself relax slighty; nothing bad had ever happened with Foxpaw.

"Tigerpaw, have you eaten?" Duskclaw asked. Tigerpaw shook his head. "Well, make sure you do and then start a patrol, around RiverClan's territory. Whitepaw is are going to catch up with Viperfang and Lionpaw to patrol near ShadowClan and WindClan, so pick a cat or two to take with you." He nodded to them before padding away.

"Want to come with me?" Tigerpaw asked. Foxpaw purred with delight.

"Can I come too?" Gingerpaw asked. Foxpaw laughed.

"You never want to go on patrols, you lazy furball!" Foxpaw exclaimed, swatting at her sister's ear. Gingerpaw frowned.

"I'm not lazy," she growled.

"Could have fooled me," Foxpaw said cheerily. "Sure, you can come. We'll have to take a warrior though, I guess. Hmm….Hey, Birchpelt, want to come with us on a patrol?"

The pale warrior looked up from his vole. He gulped the last bit down, and nodded. "Sure, I'll go." Ever since Cinderfur's death, her kits had worked hard for the Clan, determined to keep the Clan strong and find the killer.

"Awesome!" Foxpaw chirped. "Let's go, then!" She dashed out of camp, leaving the rest to hurry and catch up to her before her ginger pelt disappeared into the forest.

* * *

Birchpelt sniffed one of the rocks suspiciously. "I smell RiverClan," he growled, and glanced around nervously, as if Nightpool might leap out at him at any minute.

"It's stale, though," Tigerpaw observed. "They haven't been here at Sunningrocks today, at least."

"Today, yes, but they were here a few days ago," Foxpaw said, sniffing another rock. "Planning another attack or something, probably."

"We'll be ready," Birchpelt spat. Obviously the gray warrior was convinced that RiverClan had killed his mother, not someone in ThunderClan, despite the evidence. _Perhaps it is easier for him this way, _Tigerpaw reflected. _How would it feel to know you could be sleeping beside your mother's killer? _He shivered at the very thought. If anyone ever hurt Dapplefur….

Birchpelt re-marked the Sunningrocks, showing RiverClan that ThunderClan knew they were around, before the patrol continued. They drew close to the falls, and even though they were out of sight, Tigerpaw could feel the vibrations from them in his paws. _Such raw power, _he marveled, before a sudden scream cut through the air. Tigerpaw's eyes widened and he glanced around at the group quickly; Birchpelt had been distracted by a strange scent moments before, but he had snapped to attention at the sound of the scream, Foxpaw was already running towards the sound and Gingerpaw was…missing? Tigerpaw frowned, but they didn't have long to wonder as they charged forward towards the scream. There were rustled in the undergrowth, and Tigerpaw's patrol nearly ran smack-into Lionpaw and Gingerpaw, coming the opposite direction.

"Whitepaw fell into the river!" Lionpaw said, his sides heaving. "Viperfang went after her but they were both swept downstream. Hurry, towards Sunningrocks, they might wash up there!"

**AN: Oh dear, look at this! A cliff-hanger! How strange. Has Whitepaw met her fate?**

**Well, you may not know for awhile. You see my profile? See that nifty little bar announcing that I've made a poll? I need you to vote on it, my dears. It only has two votes at the minute, and I need at least five until I can update with the next chapter. I need to know what I'm doing next, you see. **

**Hurry!**


	37. Chapter 35: Pushed

**AN: Wow, you guys work fast! And here I thought I was getting a break. Good work! ^_^**

35

Tigerpaw gasped. "Hurry!" he exclaimed, not pausing to wonder how Gingerpaw had met up with Lionpaw. They all raced back to Sunningrocks, looking at the water with intensity.

_StarClan, let Whitepaw be alright, _Tigerpaw thought, and then as an afterthought, _and Viperfang too, I guess._

Lionpaw's eyes were wide as he gazed into the water. His mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out. _Is he praying? _Tigerpaw wondered. Then, there was a flash of hope as a dark gray head burst through the water, carrying a white body in its mouth. Viperfang bobbed in the water, a slave to the current. Without hesitation, Birchpelt sprang into the water and grabbed Whitepaw's back end, tugging both her and Viperfang back towards the shore. Viperfang collapsed on the ground gasping for breath. Whitepaw laid limp. Lionpaw seemed frozen, staring down at his sister. Birchpelt began licking Whitepaw's fur the wrong way, trying to get the water out of her lungs while he kneaded her chest.

"G…get…Batpaw," Viperfang gasped. Tigerpaw turned tail and ran as quickly as he could back to camp. _StarClan, don't let me be too late! _He begged. _Let Whitepaw hold on! Let her pull through!_

He burst into the camp. "Batpaw, hurry!" he yowled. Batpaw poked his head out of the medicine cat.

"What now, furball? Pulled a claw?" Batpaw asked crossly.

"Whitepaw nearly drowned. Hurry, she needs your help!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. Batpaw's eyes widened and he sprang forward.

"Take me to her," he ordered. The two of them made a mad dash into the forest, with Tigerpaw thinking all the while that he was too late.

When they arrived, the cats were all huddled around Whitepaw anxiously. She was breathing, but appeared to be unconscious.

"Is she going to be okay?" Tigerpaw asked anxiously.

"Let me work," Batpaw said, but without the usual snap in his voice. He appeared to study Whitepaw for a moment and give her a thorough look-over.

"Is there water in her lungs?" he demanded.

"We got her breathing again and she coughed it all out," Viperfang said, sitting up. His dark fur was plastered to his body.

"Yes…." Batpaw mused, nosing Whitepaw's side. "She should be okay, if she didn't ingest too much water. Birchpelt, take her to my den. She needs to stay there for awhile. She'll be weak and I don't want her getting sick."

Birchpelt nodded, and picked up Whitepaw by her scruff. He began carrying her towards the camp, with the other cats trailing behind him.

"I hope she'll be okay," Foxpaw whispered, pressing her pelt against Tigerpaw's.

"Me too," Tigerpaw said, unable to find the words to describe his feelings. If Whitepaw had died, she would have taken a chunk of his life with her. Tigerpaw glanced at Viperfang. He was padding along steadily, but he limped when he walked, probably banged up from the boulders. It was a miracle he wasn't dead. _He's a hero, for once, _Tigerpaw realized. _A rough cat, but loyal to his Clanmates….How did Whitepaw fall in?_

Birchpelt set Whitepaw down gently on a bed of soft moss.

"Thank you," Batpaw said, and flicked his tail. "Get out, now, please. Whitepaw needs space."

"Can you tell me when she wakes up?" Tigerpaw asked. Batpaw blinked at him for a moment, and then nodded.

"I'll make sure to," he said. The other cats left the den quickly, but Tigerpaw paused for a moment, glancing at Whitepaw over his shoulder. As he left, he thought he saw Batpaw give Whitepaw's cheek a gentle lick.

Tigerpaw stood still as he left Batpaw's den, unsure of what he should do. He found his paws leading him to Silvermist's den. He hadn't visited her in awhile.

"Tigerpaw!" Silvermist greeted him. "Where have you been? Here I was thinking you were dead." She blinked at him warmly. "The kits are half-way to being apprentices now."

Tigerpaw sat down by Silvermist, watching the kits tumble and play. Now that Minnowkit and Swiftkit were older, he had hoped he could tell them apart easier. However, their markings were nearly identical; it was only because he noticed that Swiftkit's blue eyes had a touch of green in them that he could tell her apart from Minnowkit. Out of the four kits, only Stormkit had amber eyes; she-cats all shared their mother's blue gaze.

"Unke Tiggypaw!" Minnowkit exclaimed with delight, seeing her friend. She padded over to him and sprang at him, trying to bat at his whiskers. She fell a little short but didn't give up, jumping up at him several more times before stopping to rest.

"Unke Tiggypaw!" the other three kits chorused, crowding towards their most frequent visitor.

"Did you bwing us pwey?" Swiftkit asked eagerly.

"A yummy mouse?" Minnowkit prodded Tigerpaw's leg with her nose.

"A biwd?" Creek-kit asked. Only Stormkit said nothing, observing Tigerpaw with his dark amber eyes.

"I came to talk with your mother," Tigerpaw said. Silvermist must have seen something in his eyes, for she flicked her tail to the kits. "Why don't you all ask Blindeye for a story about LeopardClan?" she asked. Stormkit's eyes lit up at the idea. He stood and flicked his tail at his sister, before padding away. Minnowkit and Swiftkit instantly stood to join him. Only Creek-kit remained aloof, wanting to appear independent, before following them at a safe distance.

"Yes, Tigerpaw?" Silvermist asked. Tigerpaw sat down, and sighed quietly.

"I haven't told Whitepaw about how I feel," he said miserably. Silvermist blinked in surprise.

"I thought you did that a moon ago!" she scolded. Tigerpaw shrugged feebly.

"It's just with Cinderfur's death and everything, it's been complicated, and it is only getting worse….Whitepaw fell into the rapids today, and nearly died."

Silvermist's eyes widened. "What? Tell me everything!"

Tigerpaw explained and felt like he was getting rid of a bit of the weight on his chest. However, the berries and his thoughts of Lionpaws' guilt still rang in his mind. He couldn't tell anyone of those. Not yet.

Silvermist reflected on his news for a moment. "You were really scared you would lose her, huh?" she asked. Tigerpaw hesitated, and then nodded.

"Yeah, she's one of my best friends, next to Foxpaw," he said. Silvermist nodded slowly.

"Wait until Whitepaw is feeling better, and then tell her your true feelings, whatever they may be," Silvermist said. "That is the best thing you can do for her. If you don't love her back, don't string her along."

Tigerpaw nodded, and got to his paws, thinking of Batpaw. "Hopefully she can love someone else," he said, before padding out of the den.

He stared at the fresh-kill pile for a moment, feeling lost without anything to do.

"Tigerpaw?" Batpaw called. "Whitepaw wants to see you."

Tigerpaw's head snapped up and he padded into the medicine den.

"She's not feeling very good, so don't upset her, or I'll claw your pelt off," Batpaw ordered in a hushed voice. Tigerpaw nodded quickly, and padded to Whitepaw's side.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and Whitepaw smiled weakly.

"A little bruised and battered, but Batpaw says I'll be fine soon enough. I'll have to stay in here for a few days, though…."

"What happened?" Tigerpaw asked.

"I don't remember, exactly," Whitepaw admitted. "Viperfang scented a vole, I think….He left. The falls were cool looking, so I was at the edge. Then someone pushed me, and I fell in. I struggled, but couldn't breathe…there was nothing I could do, the water was too strong. I hit a rock and blacked out. The next thing I saw was Birchpelt blinking down at me as I coughed up water. Then I went out again, and woke up here."

"Who pushed you? Could it have been Lionpaw? He was the only one there."

"I don't know," Whitepaw said, shaking her head feebly. "The roar of the falls made it impossible to hear, and with the mist everywhere, I couldn't scent a thing….He wouldn't do that, though. He's my brother."

"But—"

"Tigerpaw, I think you should go," Batpaw said evenly. "Whitepaw needs rest, and she can worry about this mess later."

Tigerpaw hesitated, and then nodded. He nuzzled Whitepaw's cheek. "Hope you feel better," he said.

"When she's feeling better, we'll check out everyone's stories and see what happened," Batpaw said, following Tigerpaw to the den entrance. "Until then, she just needs to sleep. Bring her a mouse or something later if you like."

"I will," Tigerpaw promised, before padding away, feeling slightly relieved that she was okay. Thoughts buzzed in his mind. _Lionpaw was the only one there, _he thought. _It had to be him. Who else could it have been?_

**AN: So Whitepaw is fine, Viperfang's a hero, and keen little Warriors06 might be the first to see a little White x Bat romance. Interesting~**

**Cinderpaw11: You're just a bundle of fun, you know that? ILY. Sososo much. And I'll let you know that Viperfang is more definitely not the killer, as of now. xD Yeah, I try to write as much as I can each day, but it depends on my schedule. I looove writing this story; it has been ages since I've actually liked a story enough to finish, and this could be "the one". It's got a loooong way to go, though. Lionpaw **_**might **_**like someone, but of course he's a master of disguise and refuses to show it. And he really isn't very good friends with Gingerpaw, mostly because of his drive to be a great warrior. He just doesn't understand how she can be so lazy and such and still call herself a ThunderClan cat.**


	38. Chapter 36: The Facts

**AN: Fffff SO MANY COMMENTS.**

***tears of joy* ILY guys. Now for the replying to the comments:**

**everyone: Yes, I update like the wind. The funny thing is I actually post them as soon as I write them…so I write like the wind too. .**

**Allygirl: Thank you for your two reviews in rapid succession. :D As for Batpaw, he's actually an older apprentice (he was born when Blackheart was a warrior, which was some time ago) so he is near the end of his training anyway, which is why Darkstar saw fit to send him to ThunderClan. As for how long, who knows? If one of Silvermist's kits is to be the new medicine cat apprentice, Batpaw will leave and Shadefur will take his place to fully mentor the new apprentice. However, if one of Silvermist's kits isn't destined to become meddy apprentice, then Batpaw will be around for a bit longer.**

**Snowstar: It indeed seems to be narrowed down to the two of them. Since Viperfang is "as of now" a good guy. xD**

**Cinderpaw: You're right, I don't think I ever will. I'm not complaining though, this is oodles of fun to write. And I'm glad you found it amusing and there is a bit of white x bat in there. I was considering it and dropped a few hints, and when someone picked up on them, that sealed the deal. ^_^**

**GinnyStar: Thanks!**

**Wildstar: Could be. I will. ;)**

**Enough of this insanely long Author's Note. Back to my silly story.**

36

The next day, Whitepaw was feeling much better. Brighstar called everyone involved into Batpaw's den. The medicine cat apprentice was quite irritated by having so many ThunderClan cats in his den messing it up, but for some reason he wouldn't leave.

"Whitepaw, tell us everything you can remember," Brightstar said gently, curing her tail around her paws. Whitepaw sighed quietly.

"I was sitting near the edge of the falls," she said. "I know I shouldn't have, but the light was reflecting off of the water just right, and it was beautiful….Viperfang said he thought there was a vole nearby and that he would be back in a moment or two. I didn't turn to check. I'm not sure, but I think Lionpaw went with him. They were gone for awhile, and then I was getting ready to stand up, but someone charged into my back and knocked me into the falls." She shuddered. "I don't remember anything after that."

"I went with Viperfang," Lionpaw said quickly.

"I didn't see you following me," Viperfang said, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I was following you, you just didn't look back," Lionpaw growled. "It wasn't me. I would never do anything to hurt Whitepaw. I think she fell by herself."

"I really did catch a vole," Viperfang said to Brightstar. "I was burying it when Whitepaw screamed. We can find it if you like."

Brightstar nodded quickly. "What about you, Gingerpaw?" she asked. "Tigerpaw says you weren't there when Whitepaw screamed."

"I scented a mouse," Gingerpaw said with wide eyes. "I didn't want to say anything to alert it, so I just slipped away. When Whitepaw screamed it ran off and I lost it. I ran towards the sound and almost ran into Lionpaw. He was running back to try and see if Viperfang and Whitepaw were going to wash up near Sunningrocks."

Lionpaw nodded.

"I see," Brightstar said with a quiet sigh. "We had another storm last night so I'm sure any evidence was washed away…what about the patrol? Were there any scents?"

"There were RiverClan scents, but they were a couple days old," Birchpelt said.

"There were no WindClan or ShadowClan scents," Viperfang rumbled. Brightstar nodded slowly and closed her eyes.

"Viperfang, go with Duskclaw and find that vole," she said. "I trust you, but it will set the Clan's mind at ease. We'll make this out to be an accident, nothing more; mass panic is the last thing the Clan needs." Her eyes swept over the group. "If any of you have any further information, please don't hesitate to step forward." With that she nodded and padded away. Viperfang and Birchpelt followed her. Lionpaw shot the rest of the group a look of disgust before padding out of the den. Gingerpaw simply yawned as if yesterday's happenings had been no more interesting than catching a mouse.

"I'm going to nap," she announced, and padded away.

Tigerpaw glanced at Whitepaw. "Feeling better?"

Whitepaw nodded. "Batpaw's taking good care of me," she purred. Tigerpaw glanced at Batpaw and saw a hint of a smile flash over the dark apprentice's face, before it quickly vanished.

"I'll bring you a mouse," Tigerpaw promised. "The biggest I can find."

* * *

Within several days, Whitepaw was feeling well enough to pick up training again, although she had a slight limp that wouldn't disappear for at least a moon, while her body healed itself. Her near-death experience only made Tigerpaw's desire to prove Lionpaw's guilt even more. It threatened to overwhelm him. His dreams had taken a darker turn; there was still no Tigerstar or Dark Forest in them, but they were dark and terrible all the same. When Tigerpaw woke up he could remember nothing of them, although he wasn't sure if that was a blessing or a curse.

After Whitepaw's fall, Tigerpaw burned with the knowledge he held. It wasn't enough to prove Lionpaw's guilt, not by a long shot…but perhaps it could push ThunderClan in the right direction? Tigerpaw was afraid Brightstar would wave him away; after all, the information didn't directly point to Lionpaw, exactly; there were other cats it could include as well. Really, Tigerpaw didn't have a case, but he was intent on changing that. The first thing he needed was to get Foxpaw alone.

He got his chance on a hunting patrol. Accompanying them was Blackstream, a dark she-cat with nothing much to say.

"Can I talk to you?" Tigerpaw asked Foxpaw quietly.

"You already are, aren't you?" Foxpaw said, giggling. "What's wrong?"

"Brightstar didn't tell the Clan…but Whitepaw didn't just fall off. She was pushed."

Foxpaw's eyes widened. "What?" she gasped. "How could Brightstar not tell us that?"

"She didn't want the Clan to panic about it or anything. But I think Lionpaw did it; I think he did it all." Foxpaw frowned at Tigerpaw's words, and Tigerpaw knew he was losing her. Quickly, he told her everything, from Cinderfur and Lionpaw's fight up to Whitepaw being pushed off of the cliff.

"Tigerpaw, this all sounds…serious," Foxpaw murmured, glancing at Blackstream nervously. "But you can't accuse him yet. It doesn't make sense."

"Yes, it does," Tigerpaw said quickly. "Lionpaw has a temper, everyone knows that. When he and Cinderfur fought, he must have been angry still, and she was on vigil all alone. Maybe he didn't mean to kill her, but he did. Then he told Whitepaw about the berries, and he must have wanted her to blame someone else so that other cat would look suspicious and ThunderClan would think he or she killed Cinderfur. But when that didn't work, Lionpaw realized Whitepaw knew too much and tried to kill her. He was the only one there, Viperfang didn't see him, even. It all makes sense!"

"I guess," Foxpaw said slowly.

"We have to make sure Lionpaw is caught before he hurts anyone else!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. "He's almost killed three cats already. Do you want to make it four?"

"Of course not!" Foxpaw exclaimed. "It's just a lot to take in….I need to think." She brushed away from him and hurried to catch up to Blackstream. Tigerpaw watched her, his heart pounding. Had he lost her with his theory?


	39. Chapter 37: Enacting the Plan

37

It wasn't until late that night when everyone was asleep that Foxpaw approached Tigerpaw again. She nosed his side, making him almost spring out of his fur with surprise; he had thought everyone was asleep.

"I've thought about it," she whispered. "I think you're right. Even if Lionpaw isn't the killer, we'll be one step closer to finding out who really is."

"So you'll join me?" Tigerpaw asked, feeling a glow as Foxpaw nodded solemnly, her green eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"What's the plan, Tigerclaw?"

* * *

Tigerpaw awoke early the next morning, feeling his pelt prickle with excitement and fear. There was a chance that his plan might now work; Lionpaw might not be the culprit, or once he realized Tigerpaw knew he was, he might try to kill Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw let out a quiet breath. He wouldn't die. This was for ThunderClan.

There was the morning training session, before Tigerpaw could put his plan into action. At sunrise, the apprentices all settled down to eat. Tigerpaw sat down next to Foxpaw.

"Now is the time," he murmured in her ear, and she nodded. Tigerpaw remembered what her instructions were:

_After Lionpaw and I leave, go to Brightstar's den immediately. Tell her all of the evidence surrounding Lionpaw, and then make her come with you somehow. It doesn't matter how, only that she comes. Follow our scent. I'll try to lead him into a clearing so everyone can watch without being spotted. I'll force the confession out of him – don't worry about how – and Brightstar will see everything. Follow Lionpaw's scent, not mine; I want you to stay on him the entire time in case he tries something sneaky. _

"Ready when you are," Foxpaw murmured, glancing towards Lionpaw. Oddly, Gingerpaw was with him, sharing tongues. She was working her paws through his golden fur. _It looks like they're over their disagreement, or at least Gingerpaw is willing to be friends again, _Tigerpaw thought. _I hope she's over him, because after today, he'll never step a foot in camp again. _Tigerpaw felt a strange sensation as he realized this might be the last time Lionpaw would see his Clanmates, if all went according to plan.

"Hey, Lionpaw," Tigerpaw said, padding over to them with a warm smile plastered across his face. "Want to come with me? Brightstar says I can go on a hunting patrol, and I want you to come."

Lionpaw's eyes narrowed with suspicion, but Gingerpaw stood.

"I'll come," she purred. Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. When was the last time Gingerpaw had wanted to go on a patrol?

"No, I think you really should stay," Tigerpaw said lamely. He could see Foxpaw already padding to Brightstar's den, not having noticed that Lionpaw wasn't coming. His heart sank. His plan was falling apart.

"No, I _really _think I should go," Gingerpaw purred. She flicked her tail and padded away, leaving Lionpaw sneering as Tigerpaw had no choice but to follow.

"I'm going to fish," Lionpaw announced loudly, and padded out of camp as well. Tigerpaw wanted to follow, but Gingerpaw was going the complete opposite direction.

_We'll meet up later, _Tigerpaw thought. _They should follow Lionpaw, hopefully, and I should be able to get rid of Gingerpaw by then…._

He hurried to catch up with Gingerpaw, meaning to re-direct her. He realized they were drawing close to the clearing that Tigerpaw had intended to put Lionpaw in, where Lionpaw would eventually confess to his crimes. _It was so much simpler in my head, _Tigerpaw thought wistfully. _Foxpaw, herd Lionpaw over here! _He prayed. _StarClan, help me find the killer!_

"Tigerpaw, there's a mouse over there," Gingerpaw purred. "Hang on, I'll get it." She bounded away.

_She sure seems excited, _Tigerpaw thought. _Is she happy to be friends with Lionpaw again, or what? Happy to be out of camp? Happy that Whitepaw will be okay again? _

He waited for Gingerpaw to return, thinking of a way to find Lionpaw. He considered simply running away while Gingerpaw was hunting, but it seemed a bit rude. Still, she was taking a long time, and it was likely he could find Lionpaw. If Foxpaw and Brightstar were following Lionpaw, then when Tigerpaw confronted him they should still see him confess, and everything would work out fine. He had just decided upon this new plan, when Gingerpaw re-appeared. A vole was in her jaws, but she seemed to be holding it gingerly.

"I thought it was a mouse, not a vole," Tigerpaw said with a smile. Gingerpaw set it down and nudged it towards him.

"Go ahead and eat it," she urged. "You didn't eat anything earlier, I noticed. So you can go ahead and eat it, no worries. Whitepaw and I sneak prey sometimes during hunting patrols if we are really hungry and stuff."

"What about you?" Tigerpaw asked nervously. Gingerpaw shrugged.

"I already ate," she said. Tigerpaw paused – he didn't think Gingerpaw had eaten anything, actually – but he shrugged. It would just be easier if he agreed. Then maybe he could catch something and suggest they go back to camp, double-back, find Lionpaw, and proceed as the plan dictated.

He took a bite of the vole, relaxing as the taste flooded his mouth. He was hungry, and he hadn't eaten, as Gingerpaw had said. A strange, almost bitter after-taste haunted his mouth after he swallowed the last bite and he frowned, trying to place the taste. It tasted a bit strange, like nothing he had tasted from a vole before. _Maybe it ate something strange, _he thought, before giving a quick shrug of his striped shoulders. He licked his whiskers clean and then got to his paws. A strange fuzziness in his mouth puzzled him. He opened his mouth to ask Gingerpaw about it, but when he did his tongue lolled out of his mouth and lay there as he drooled. He blinked in surprise and struggled, but he couldn't move his tongue. His entire mouth was going numb.

"What did you do to me?" he tried to ask, but it came out as "Hwa ib u oo oo e?"

Gingerpaw simply smiled at him; a surprisingly sinister smile for such a plump, sweet-seeming cat. "It won't kill you, don't worry," she said. "A larger dose would, but I didn't have time to get one. You just can't scream now is all, and you might not be able to breathe easily for a bit. You'll be dead by then, though." She cocked her head to one side. "Thought you had it all figured out, didn't you?"


	40. Chapter 38: Gingerpaw's Treachery

38

Tigerpaw's mouth gaped open in shock. Gingerpaw watched him curiously.

"I'm not sure how long this will last, honestly," she said. "Did you know I almost became a medicine cat apprentice? It's true. I was very very close. It seemed ideal; I could sit around on my butt all day and nap, leaving the den every once in awhile to speak with StarClan in my dreams. Easy. Petalcloud taught me a few things, and even when I decided to be a warrior after all, she taught me a few things every now and then. How else would Whitepaw know about deathberries?" She laughed. "ThunderClan is so stupid. I can't believe no one has figured it out, honestly. I've bungled a few things. Still, everything will work out now that I have you." She yawned. "It all worked out so wonderfully, don't you see? Killing Cinderfur was the easiest part. I hated her." Gingerpaw let out a hiss. "Always bossing me around, telling me I was worthless, an insult to the Clan. All she ever wanted to talk about were her precious kits, how absolutely wonderful they were compared to me. It was the same thing every day. Eventually I just couldn't take it anymore. Everyone's always putting me down, all the time. No one ever believed in me…." She closed her eyes. "I plotted for half a moon, trying to find the right time to kill her. And then, the mentor swap! I thought it would be perfect; no one could stand having Cinderfur for their mentor, after all, and surely there would be some sort of fight and I could blame her death on someone else. But when it was Lionpaw who had her, my heart sank…and I didn't even get out of training with her that day. She insisted on instructing me and Lionpaw at the same time. My day was terrible, and I was full of anger. When I finally confessed my feelings to Lionpaw, thinking he was the only thing that could make my life worthwhile, I finally snapped. I suggested to Brightstar that Cinderfur be the watcher for that night, and then I killed her. I have no remorse. Lionpaw will take the fall, as he should. He betrayed me. He broke my heart."

_But why Whitepaw? _Tigerpaw thought desperately. _Why her?_

"Whitepaw is a necessary casualty," Gingerpaw sighed. "She's a good friend and I'll miss her, but she is a loose end that must be tied up. My intention was never to get her into trouble, although now looking back I can see that my attempt with the deathberries was rather pathetic. The blame had not moved instantly to Lionpaw as I had hoped; the two most likely suspects in most cats eyes were Silvermist and Batpaw. I had to fix that, of course. I remembered deathberries, something Petalcloud had taught me moons ago. They were almost never used and she had warned me against them. Whitepaw and the others had no knowledge of such a plant, so I saw a perfect opportunity; Whitepaw wanted to get back at Lionpaw, the cat who always looked perfect and made her look dull by comparison. So I told her about an idea for a 'prank': to give deathberries to Silvermist's kits. I didn't call them deathberries, obviously, and simply told her they would make the kits get a little sick, not enough to really hurt them. Whitepaw would blame Lionpaw, and everything would be perfect. This way no one would suspect Silvermist – who would poison their own kits – or Batpaw – he would have nothing to gain from poisoning a RiverClan kit – and if Whitepaw named Lionpaw as the killer, everything would shift to him. She decided to test them out herself though to make sure the kits would be fine, and it backfired.

"Then I had to kill her. She knew too much, obviously. So I volunteered to go on patrol, and lied about scenting a vole. Then I slipped away and waited until Lionpaw and Viperfang both left to push Whitepaw. Of course I disappeared and pretended to bump into Lionpaw, saying I was running after the scream. Honestly, Lionpaw kind of takes care of himself sometimes; Viperfang didn't notice him because Lionpaw was coming from the other side trying to catch the vole himself. He failed and would never admit it though. Sadly my attempt to killed Whitepaw failed…I'll have to try again later. Still, it had done the duty well; doubt was cast on Lionpaw. I'm not sure why Whitepaw didn't tell, though…if I was in her place, I would have told everyone about the berries."

_Because she's your friend, and she's loyal! _Tigerpaw thought furiously. He tried to speak again, but only a dull mumble came out as his tongue hung out of his mouth limply.

Gingerpaw simply watched him, and then shrugged. "No matter, though. Soon she'll be dead." She sighed quietly. "I'm sorry I have to do this to you, Tigerpaw. You seem like a nice cat. But you are the perfect cat for my final strike." She smiled, and her fangs glinted. "You see, you're the only cat Lionpaw truly hates. You're his rival, the thorn in his side. So you're the obvious cat he would kill, especially with you nosing around like you are." She flexed her claws. "I'm still angry at Lionpaw, quite angry really; I only pretended to make up with him so I could get this." She stepped forward, showing Tigerpaw something strange; golden fur between her claws. "I'll plant this around you, in your claws, and it will be all over then. I've rolled in ferns damp from last night's rain, and there will be no trace of me here." She sighed quietly.

"Ahy?" Tigerpaw asked. "Ahy u oo hiss?"

"Why am I doing this?" Gingerpaw actually looked surprised. "I thought you of all cats would understand. Don't you ever want to prove yourself? To prove that you aren't what others think? You're not a coward like your father. I'm not the stupid, lazy cat everyone seems to see. Lionpaw will get what he deserves, the half-wit. I'm sorry I have to kill you and Whitepaw, but that's just how life is. You'll be happy in StarClan, I'm sure. I'll see you someday."

She gave another chilling smile and stepped forwards, claws unsheathed, ready to kill.


	41. Chapter 39: Battle to Survive

**AN: First, I'm SO sorry I left you guys hanging all night! My boyfriend called and then I had to get off for the night, so I didn't get the chance to update like I was going to. Sorry!**

**Aww, poor Gingerpaw getting some hate? It's a bit of a Breezepaw/pelt scenario I guess you could say. If she had a bit of support from her family instead of everyone telling her she's worthless, she wouldn't be this way, eh?**

**Everyone: I'm sure Tigerpaw is touched by your concern. But he can't die with half the story still to go now can he?**

**Violinlover: Tigerpaw never saved Gingerpaw from anything. You're probably thinking of someone else I guess? I'm not sure if he's saved anyone, though, I really can't remember. It's such a long story. D:**

**Cinderpaw: You made me laugh literally out loud! I almost woke my dad up, which would be terrible. Don't be angry with your brother over my silly fic. xD**

**Maybe Lion likes Fox, maybe not. You'll see if he is watching or not soon. And I don't remember if Viperfang was on patrol or not. xD And maybe White and Tiger will get together, maybe not. And you were kinda right after all. **

39

Tigerpaw tensed. _I can't cry out, _he thought, _but I can still fight. If I can only get some of her fur in my claws before I die, maybe…._

Gingerpaw seemed to realize his intention. Her eyes narrowed. "Just try it," Gingerpaw hissed, circling him. Tigerpaw lunged forward, but Gingerpaw avoided him, scoring a swipe down his side. Tigerpaw grimaced and struck again, but she was just too fast. As she had said, she wasn't just the slow, fat cat everyone seemed to see. She was two moons older than him, advanced in her training, and smart.

"Just relax, Tigerpaw," Gingerpaw whispered. "If you give up, I promise I'll be gentle. Just think of StarClan, won't you? No one will be hurt, really, they'll just move on. Everything will be fine in the end, you'll see….You'll see your father for the first time. If he even made it to StarClan." The last part was muttered under her breath, but Tigerpaw heard it. Rage pulsed through him at her words, and he let out a snarl.

"My father was not a traitor!" he howled, and suddenly all of the injustice, despair, and confusion surrounding his father's death seemed to unleash itself as he sprang forward. He tore into Gingerpaw, his claws slicing through fur and flesh. Blood splattered his muzzle as they fought – whether it was his or hers he wasn't sure – and mixed with the dust they were kicking up as they tore at one another. Tigerpaw almost felt like Tigerstar was with him, egging him on, and when his claws finally met Gingerpaw's throat, he could have sworn he heard Tigerstar whisper,

"_Finish her."_

His eyes widened slightly at the thought, and he hesitated, just enough time for Gingerpaw to turn the tables. She kicked upwards with amazing force, sending Tigerpaw to the ground. He let out a gasp as the air flooded out of his lungs. Tigerpaw struggled to get up, but could not. Gingerpaw padded forward, and placed one paw on his side, keeping him down, and the other resting squarely on his head, her claws pricking his flesh through his fur. Her muzzle was wrinkled in a terrible snarl, her eyes glowing with bloodlust. And then Tigerpaw knew he would die.

"Gingerpaw," someone whispered. Tigerpaw realized dimly it was Foxpaw's voice. But how? Where was she? Gingerpaw's head turned slightly, and that single moment of distraction was enough for Tigerpaw to move from under her grip, and to allow a golden streak to charge into Gingerpaw's side.

Lionpaw was on top of Gingerpaw, suddenly, tearing at her with his claws as Gingerpaw struggled hopelessly underneath him.

"You tried to kill my sister!" Lionpaw roared, pain and anger echoing throughout the forest. "I'll rip you! I'll tear you! I'll _shred _you!"

"Lionpaw!" Another voice rang out over the clearing. Tigerpaw raised his head, to see Brightstar padding forward, eyes flashing. "Let her go, Lionpaw."

Lionpaw froze and stared at Brightstar. For a moment, it almost looked as if he was going to attack his leader. A low growl rumbled in his chest, but he stepped off of Gingerpaw. The ginger apprentice was gasping for breath, as blood flowed freely from her wounds.

"She admitted everything!" Lionpaw cried. "We saw her! She did!"

"Gingerpaw," Foxpaw whispered again, and Tigerpaw could see her in the bushes, her green eyes clouded with disbelief and pain. "How could you?"

Brightstar appeared to almost be in shock as she looked down at Gingerpaw. "Where did I go wrong?" she whispered, almost inaudibly, before closing her eyes. "Foxpaw, get Batpaw. Now."

Foxpaw seemed frozen, and didn't move until Brightstar let out a hiss. "_Now, _Foxpaw!"

Foxpaw dashed away, and Tigerpaw's head flopped to the earth again. His eyes drooped closed. Within moments Batpaw arrived, his paws moving over Tigerpaw expertly, finding and evaluating his injuries. Something pressed into Tigerpaw's deepest wounds, making him hiss with pain – cobwebs and marigold, most likely – but Tigerpaw didn't have the strength to open his eyes.

"Tend to Gingerpaw, Batpaw," Brightstar said in a level voice.

"What?" Lionpaw growled, but Batpaw said nothing, and Tigerpaw assumed he was doing as he was told, for once.

"Gingerpaw, is this all true?" Brightstar said gently.

"Yes," Gingerpaw spat. Despite the pain she was in, her voice was hateful. "You deserved it, all of you! Never loving me, never trusting me, never thinking I would ever be anything….I would do it all again if I had to!"

"Your mother loved you, Gingerpaw," Brightstar said, still in a gentle voice. "Your sister loved you. Your Clan loved you. Even Cinderfur did, in her own way; she was just trying to find your potential, Gingerpaw, to prove to yourself that you really could do something." She sighed quietly.

"I don't believe you," Gingerpaw said, but her voice was shaking. Tigerpaw cracked one eye open, in time to see a shudder go through Gingerpaw's body.

"Just kill me already," Gingerpaw spat. "At least I can go to StarClan then."

"StarClan?" Batpaw asked in a dry voice. "After what you have done? You'll be lucky if you get to accompany Tigerstar in the Dark Forest."

Tigerpaw saw a glimmer of fear in Gingerpaw's eyes. Brightstar got to her paws.

"We must tell the Clan," she announced. "Lionpaw, carry Tigerpaw; he doesn't have the strength. Foxpaw, stay here with Batpaw and guard Gingerpaw. I don't think she'll be going anywhere for the time being."

Lionpaw nodded, and Tigerpaw had the sensation of being picked up by his scruff before his world went black.


	42. Chapter 40: Ravenpaw

**AN: Forty chapters and (probably before this chapter is even up) 100 reviews! I never dreamed I could write something like this. Thank you SO SO SO much everyone that has helped and stood by me! You guys are AMAZING. Maybe even cooler than Blackheart.**

40

Tigerpaw didn't come around again until he was in the medicine den. Foxpaw was there, and so were Whitepaw, Dapplefur, Snowflight, Silvermist, Batpaw, and even Lionpaw.

"You're okay," Foxpaw whispered, licking his cheek. "Batpaw thought you might not make it, Tigerpaw! We're so glad you're okay!"

"How do you feel?" Batpaw asked.

"Tired," Tigerpaw asked, blinking slowly. "Fuzzy." He found he could move his tongue, and was delighted. "What happened when I was out?"

"Brightstar told everyone about Gingerpaw," Dapplefur said quietly. "Fawndapple and Firestorm took it rather hard…."

"What did they do with her?" Tigerpaw asked. The cats surrounding him all scared glances. Foxpaw looked at her paws.

"She was gone when Brightstar returned," Lionpaw growled, shooting Foxpaw a furious glance.

"Foxpaw knocked me out," Batpaw said calmly, as if it really didn't bother him, "to allow Gingerpaw to escape. Maybe she'll find a Twoleg to live with."

Tigerpaw stared at Foxpaw with disbelief.

"She's my sister," Foxpaw growled, glancing at the others. "You would have done the same, if you sister was going to be killed!"

"_My _sister didn't try to kill half the Clan!" Lionpaw snarled, with a glance at Whitepaw. She nuzzled his side calmingly.

_How could I ever have thought Lionpaw would hurt his sister? _Tigerpaw wondered.

"Gingerpaw's gone, that's all that matters," Silvermist said in a calming voice. "She's probably out of the forest by now, if she survived her injuries. We won't hear from her again. Cinderfur rests in StarClan, nothing can be done about that, but the rest of us are fine. Foxpaw did what she thought was right, and only StarClan can judge both her and Gingerpaw now."

Dapplefur nodded, backing the silver queen up. "Brightstar chose not to punish Foxpaw; she's been punished enough by her sister's betrayal. Still, most of the Clan isn't pleased with her at the moment, especially Patchpelt." Dapplefur sighed quietly. "I'm just glad you're okay, baby."

"The kits wanted to visit you, but…we, you don't look your best," Silvermist said with a smile. "As soon as you're feeling better, would you like to see them?"

Tigerpaw nodded quickly, and then winced at the pain that shot up his spine.

"It will be awhile before you can train, so I'm training Foxpaw in the meantime," Snowflight said. "Patchpelt wants nothing to do with her for right now."

"I'm kind of tired," Tigerpaw said, glancing at Foxpaw and Lionpaw, desperately curious as to find out how they found him.

"We'll go," Whitepaw said quickly. She began nudging her brother in the direction of the den. The cats all filed out one by one, except for Foxpaw.

"Stay," Tigerpaw said to her. He thought he saw hurt flash quickly over Whitepaw's face, but she was gone before he could make sure. Foxpaw hesitated, and then sat down beside him.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What happened, exactly?" Tigerpaw asked. "How did you find me?"

Foxpaw took a deep breath. "I didn't notice that Lionpaw left without you, until we were following his scent and I couldn't scent you. I wanted to go back and look for you, but you said to make sure to follow Lionpaw. We found him near Sunningrocks, fishing. You weren't anywhere in sight, and something told me to go talk to him; it felt right, you know? So I did and I confessed everything about our plan….I'm sorry, Tigerpaw, it's just that when I saw him there fishing, playing a bit in the water, I just couldn't think of him as a killer. He's arrogant and rude and sometimes a bit nasty, but he isn't…." She trailed off, and her eyes clouded again. Tigerpaw realized just how much it would hurt, to know your flesh and blood was capable of murder. For the first time, he was glad he had no siblings.

"And then Lionpaw said something about a hunch, something that finally made sense to him, and he ran off. We followed him. He came upon you just as Gingerpaw confessed to nearly killing Whitepaw, and he froze. He was shaking with anger, fury…I've never seen him so mad. I was frozen, seeing you two fighting, and I guess he was too. Even Brightstar couldn't move. Then Gingerpaw had you down, and she was about to kill you….Lionpaw ran forward and tackled her and he would have killed her if Brightstar hadn't stopped him. And I guess you know everything after that now, huh?"

Tigerpaw nodded slowly. "Without you guys, I would have died," he said. "Thank you. Thank Lionpaw for me too, would you? I know he did it for Whitepaw, not me, but…that is the second time he's saved my life."

Foxpaw nodded, and then licked him on the cheek again before padding away. Moments later, Batpaw returned and gave Tigerpaw a few poppy seeds for the pain. Soon, Tigerpaw had drifted off to sleep.

"_Tigerpaw," he heard Tigerstar rumble. Tigerpaw turned, feeling almost nervous, afraid he was going to be chewed out by his former self._

"_You saved ThunderClan," Tigerstar said with a warm smile. "Gingerpaw would not have stopped at getting Lionpaw exiled, I'm sure. Many more cats might have died at her paws. You're a hero, and so you have earned another life." He stepped to the side, and a Tigerstar-replica padded forward, touching noses with Tigerpaw._

"_With this life, I give you truth," the replica breathed. Tigerpaw's body was wracked with pain, but oddly it wasn't as bad; somehow, the pain he was feeling while being alive seemed to dull it._

Seeing the scrawny black kit curled up with his mother, feeling his muzzle curl with a sneer. "This one won't live through the night," he told the queen with confidence….

Seeing the kit again moons later, a much larger and older kit. He was still thin though, and had been named Ravenkit….

Touching noses with Ravenkit, now Ravenpaw, feeling disgust well up inside of him as he looked down at the scrawny cat he had been given to train….

Fighting RiverClan cats at Sunningrocks, feeling a tortoiseshell tom with a red tail gasp for breath before he cut the tom's breath off and then turning and seeing Ravenpaw's frightened eyes staring back at him before disappearing into the forest….

Moons of spreading rumors of Ravenpaw's treachery had paid off; the Clan was turning against him….

"He's dead," Firepaw said. "Ravenpaw died like a warrior." Doubt prickled his mind, but he ignored it; it was so much simpler this way, with his apprentice dead. There was no one to speak his secrets now.

_Tigerpaw opened his eyes, but there was nothing but darkness as the Dark Forest and Tigerstar disappeared without another word._

**AN: Once again, sorry for the wait. Not my fault I swear. D: The weekend is here though, so much writing shall commence!**


	43. Chapter 41: Confession

**AN: This story is 17 days old (at the time I'm writing this). And it has 41 chapters now. That's like…a lot of chapters a day. /mathfail**

**Cinderpaw: You're so silly. xD**

**Ally: Thanks as usual! Yeah, it seems a lot older than it is because it is so long. .**

**Ginnystar: Thanks for being understanding, pal. :D**

**Heatherflower: I enjoy thinking I'm awesome. :D**

**Snowstar: I'm trying, honest! ^_^**

41

Tigerpaw awoke, blinking into Lionpaw's amber eyes. "H-hello," Tigerpaw stammered.

"You slept for nearly two days, you know that?" Lionpaw asked. "You're healing up nicely though, Batpaw says."

Tigerpaw simply blinked, wondering why the cat he once thought of as his enemy was there.

"I just wanted to say that…I'm sorry, I guess. I made your life pretty miserable. The Clan was looking at me very hostilely after Whitepaw nearly died…I guess I made more enemies than I thought, you know? But I'm going to try to do better, honestly. You can understand that, right?" Lionpaw blinked at Tigerpaw, and Tigerpaw was surprised to see he was actually sincere.

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said. "I can understand that. I've been just as much of a jerk, even after you saved my life. Twice. I'm sorry too."

"Well, your actions saved my sister, so I really can't complain," Lionpaw said with a slight smile, Then, he became serious again very quickly. "She thinks she loves you, you know," he said. "I don't think she does. Gingerpaw thought she loved me and well…." He sighed quietly. "What I mean is, I don't think you two are right. You know, for each other. And I'm not saying this just because I don't like you, honest. I…." He let out a quiet growl. "Alright, this is stupid. Let me start over. You don't love her, I can see that; I should know, I watch you both together plenty. And I overheard you talking with Silvermist about her. Just don't make the mistake I made with Gingerpaw, okay? I don't want you to hurt her. If you do, temporary friends or not, I'll still have to shred you."

"Understood," Tigerpaw said, a bit taken aback. That was the longest Lionpaw had ever spoken to him. Lionpaw nodded to him quickly, before padding out of the den without a backward glance.

Tigerpaw took a deep breath. _Truth, _he thought. That made four lives. He was half-way to eight.

* * *

Batpaw checked on him often, as did other members of the Clan; some congratulated him on helping them make ThunderClan safe again. Badgerstripe visited him most often, although he would instantly disappear if Foxpaw entered, coupled with a hiss. Badgerstripe appeared to hate Foxpaw with a passion now, after she had let his mother's killer go free.

Whitepaw had visited him several times, although he mostly chickened out and pretended to be asleep. He didn't want to have to tell Whitepaw how he really felt around Batpaw. Sometimes Whitepaw would wait for a little while, and she and Batpaw would talk with each other quietly.

Eventually, Batpaw allowed Tigerpaw to leave the den for short periods of time. It was then that Tigerpaw intended to find Whitepaw, but he was swarmed by kits, with Silvermist looking on proudly.

_If I hadn't proved Gingerpaw's guilt, even by accident, one of these kits might be dead, _Tigerpaw realized. _Thank you, StarClan._

Minnowkit decided it was her duty to take care of her friend "Unke Tiggypaw", so she ran and got him a mouse. Then another. And another. And another, until it appeared the entire fresh-kill pile was surrounding Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw couldn't help but laugh, and he thanked her, although when the kits went back to the nursery he made sure to put all of the mice back to the pile where they belonged.

Finally, he saw Whitepaw sharing tongues with her brother. It made him happy to see them being close again, but he was a bit wary of approaching them. Lionpaw looked up and his eyes narrowed slightly, glancing at Whitepaw and then back to Tigerpaw. Tigerpaw gave Lionpaw the smallest of nods, which Lionpaw returned.

"Hey, Whitepaw," Tigerpaw said quietly. "Can I talk to you for a moment or two?" The one-warrior-with-every-apprentice rule was gone, now that Gingerpaw was gone too.

"Yeah, sure," Whitepaw said with a smile, and the two of them padded out of camp together.

"So, what is it?" Whitepaw asked, turning to Tigerpaw and cocking her head to one side.

Tigerpaw took a deep breath and looked at his paws, unable to meet her golden eyes. "Whitepaw, I….I don't – I can't – I wish…." He trailed off, and sighed, trying to find the words to show what he really meant.

"I think I understand," Whitepaw said, and she flicked her tail under his chin, raising his face so he would look into her eyes. "I…suspected it for awhile, you know? I remember telling Gingerpaw she shouldn't get her hopes up, because I didn't think Lionpaw liked her back, and she sort of laughed and told me I didn't know anything if I couldn't see what was under my own nose. But I think I see now." She smiled at him, a smile tinged with sorrow. "It's okay Tigerpaw, it really is. You can't help it…and there are more toms out there, I guess. Thanks for at least being nice about it."

"Can…can we still be friends?" Tigerpaw asked hopefully. "I don't think I could get through the day without you and Foxpaw."

"Of course!" Whitepaw exclaimed. "I'm not going to let this change anything, Tigerpaw, I promise. We will still be the best of friends."

Tigerpaw smiled at her, so glad it was working out after all. "Whatever tom gets you will be a lucky cat," he purred, nuzzling her side. Whitepaw just laughed, and nudged him with her shoulder playfully.

"You'll always be my best friend," she said.

**AN: It is so hard to reply to reviews sometimes. For the new batch of reviews:**

**Wolfstorm: Ha, thank you! That's very kind. I hope you mean one of the Erins that wrote the first series though. :D**

**Cinderpaw: Try to see it through Foxpaw's eyes. You knew your sister had some problems, but you never knew she would go this far. But still, you couldn't just let ThunderClan kill her, either; she's your sister, the deputy of ApprenticeClan, the one who always looked out for you and you looked out for her. You shared secrets together, memories, and until Lion and White were born, she was your only playmate. Fox and Ginger had their conflicts, but deep down they were sisters, and Foxpaw did the only thing a sister could do, to let her sister go and hopefully make a new life for herself somewhere else.**

**Ally: *throws you a Ravenpaw plushie* There, you can cuddle him to your heart's content! :D**

**Ginny: Thanks as usual! ^_^**

**Wildstar: Yep, he's just fine. **

**Warriors06: You aren't supposed to like Lionpaw! That's like…rooting for Tigerclaw in the original series! I mean, okay, I was guilty of that but….xD**


	44. Chapter 42: Threats

**AN: **

**Swburnordie – Thank you! And…no. 0.o It seems Tiger is getting paired with all of the apprentices, eh? **

**Rubyblaze – Thank you!**

**Cinderpaw: I might just name you "My Silliest Reviewer", you sneezy thing. xD Nooo, don't smack Unke Tiggypaw! D:**

**Nightmist: Really? I read through several apprentice ceremonies in the first series just to check, and no one ever cheered, so I didn't think you were supposed to. Strange. Thanks for telling me! I won't change it now, but I'll remember that for future stories. You're the first to say so, just so you know! ^_^**

42

Tigerpaw and Whitepaw padded back together. Whitepaw looked around for her brother, but he wasn't there. She frowned, and then saw a ginger tail flicking at them from the apprentice den, motioning for them to come forward.

They padded inside, and found both Foxpaw and Lionpaw waiting for them.

"ApprenticeClan's deputy is gone," Foxpaw said quietly. "We must find a new one. Who should be the new deputy? Nominate someone!"

"I nominate myself!" Lionpaw said immediately.

"You can't nominate yourself, Lionfur," Foxpaw said.

"You didn't _say_ I couldn't," Lionpaw pointed out.

"Well, I'm saying it now," Foxpaw said.

"But no one will nominate me!" Lionpaw protested.

"Then no one would vote for you either!" Foxpaw exclaimed. Lionpaw wrinkled his muzzle and sat there sullenly, glowering at Foxpaw.

"I nominate Tigerpaw!" Whitepaw chirped.

Foxpaw nodded. "Tigerpaw, are you going to nominate anyone?"

"I nominate Lionpaw," Tigerpaw said, remembering how he had saved his life – twice.

"Okay. I vote for…Tigerpaw," Foxpaw announced.

"I vote for myself," Lionpaw said quickly.

"I vote for Tigerpaw," Whitepaw said equally as quickly, making Lionpaw shoot her a dirty look.

"I, er," Tigerpaw said, wanting to vote for himself to become deputy of ApprenticeClan. But did he really deserve it? He had only discovered Gingerpaw's treachery by accident, and it was really Lionpaw who had saved the day. "I vote for Lionpaw," he said.

"A tie?" Whitepaw asked. Lionpaw looked pleased.

"Lionpaw, you can't vote for yourself," Foxpaw said.

"What?" Lionpaw exclaimed. "Why not?"

"Tigerpaw didn't, and you can't either," Foxpaw retorted. "So you have to vote for Tigerpaw, which means he wins."

"Good, I didn't want to be the stupid deputy anyway," Lionpaw growled, stalking away. Foxpaw smiled at Tigerpaw.

"Congratulations, Tigerclaw, you are ApprenticeClan's new deputy!" She waved her paws around for a moment. "I'm sure there's more to a real deputy ceremony, but Duskclaw's been a deputy moons before I was even born, so I don't know."

Tigerpaw smiled. "It's fine," he purred, and dipped his head. "I promise to serve ApprenticeClan as a hard-working and loyal deputy, Foxstar," he said.

"Tigerclaw! Tigerclaw!" Whitepaw and Foxpaw both chanted. Lionpaw popped his head in.

"Brightstar's choosing the Gathering cats, you know," he said. The apprentices all blinked in surprise, and dashed out of the den.

"Patchpelt, Badgerstripe, Blackstream, Lightcloud, and Viperfang will go," Brightstar said. "Tigerpaw and Lionpaw will both go as well."

Tigerpaw felt a smile split his muzzle. He looked over at Lionpaw and grinned. Lionpaw simply looked like he had been expecting it, which he probably was, considering how he had helped with the whole Gingerpaw incident.

Then, Tigerpaw realized that Foxpaw would stay home, which was again not surprising. The surprising thing was that all of the cats that were going were the ones that were most hostile against Foxpaw.

_Is Brightstar afraid someone might attack Foxpaw? _Tigerpaw wondered, but pushed the thought out of his mind.

"Congratulations, your first Gathering," Foxpaw purred beside him. "Deputy and a Gathering in one day; aren't you lucky?"

Tigerpaw smiled, glad she wasn't angry with him or anything. He had been angry when she had been picked, he remembered that he was glad Foxpaw didn't feel the same way.

"At dusk, we will set out," Brightstar announced, leaping down from the HighRock. Lionpaw yawned, and stretched.

"I'm going to take a nap before we go," he announced over his shoulder, as he padded towards the apprentice den.

"I guess I should, too," Tigerpaw said, glancing at Foxpaw. She nodded.

"I was really tired the next day, when I had to train and stuff," she said. "Sleep while you can."

Tigerpaw yawned, and padded into the apprentice den, curling up in his nest. Lionpaw was already snoring beside him.

* * *

Brightstar's call from the HighRock woke him up, and he padded out of the den, blinking up at Brightstar.

"Let us go," she announced. "Be wary; RiverClan will bring up Silvermist's kits tonight and I am afraid they may attack. We will be ready, whether it is at the Gathering or here at camp."

The Clan nodded, and Brightstar leaped down, before leading her Clan into the forest. The moon was beginning to rise as the sun was setting, bathing the territory in moonlight and sunlight at the same time.

Tigerpaw let out a breath of awe. This was his first Gathering. He was with his Clan, going to meet the other cats….It felt amazing just to be with the other warriors.

The slope above Fourtrees came into view, and Brightstar paused.

"Remember, we will not be hostile. Say nothing about Gingerpaw, if pressed. Say little to RiverClan. And don't mention Silvermist's kits; if they ask, simply say ThunderClan will defend them if necessary. Understand?"

The cats nodded, and Tigerpaw felt a flash of fear. Was RiverClan still after the kits?

Brightstar flicked her tail, and the Clan followed her down the slope, into the clearing in Fourtrees. Tigerpaw eyed the Great Rock with interest, and thought that maybe one day he might set paw on it, if he ever became leader._ I want to be leader someday, _he thought, and tore his eyes away from the rock, glancing around the camp. RiverClan cats were eying ThunderClan cats with hostility, and the only apprentices Tigerpaw recognized were those he had previously fought. He saw Owlfeather of WindClan and thought about saying hello, but decided that wouldn't be a good idea, as she was sharing tongues with the medicine cat of RiverClan. ShadowClan arrived soon after ThunderClan, and Tigerpaw looked for Blackheart, but she didn't appear. He saw Batpaw searching the crowd of ShadowClan cats anxiously as well. Was he looking for his sister also?

"Shadefur!" Batpaw called, running up to his mentor. She rubbed cheeks with him affectionately.

"How are you?" she purred. Tigerpaw wanted to move, so he wouldn't be bothering this rather personal moment, but he wanted to learn about how Blackheart was doing.

"Eh, okay. Most of ThunderClan are mousebrains, but there are a few apprentices that are okay," Batpaw said. "How is Blackheart?"

"Fine, fine. The kits are beginning to swell her stomach, so she's retired to the nursery for the time being. She'll be fine, though, I'm taking care of her. Have any of Silvermist's kits taken an interest in becoming medicine cats?"

Batpaw wrinkled his nose. "No. Stormkit and Creek-kit are totally obsessed with becoming warriors, and Minnowkit and Swiftkit are too close to want to do different things. Swiftkit might change her mind later, I'm not sure, but it appears that unless someone else has more kits, I'll be with ThunderClan for many moons to come." Batpaw sighed quietly, and Tigerpaw realized how much he must miss his home. "I hope Blackheart's kitting goes well," Batpaw murmured. "If we lose her and I can't be there…."

Shadefur licked his head. "She'll be fine. You aren't doubting me, are you?"

Batpaw rolled his eyes, and taking the chance, Tigerpaw managed to slip away. _StarClan, protect Blackheart, _Tigerpaw wished, before turning his eyes to the Great Rock. The leaders were standing on it now, apparently ready to begin the meeting. The Clan quieted, and Darkstar took a step forward.

"Everything goes well for ShadowClan," he announced. "The prey is running – or leaping, as it happens – and ShadowClan cats are healthy and strong. Blackheart will kit soon, we hope, and Thornpaw and Rosepaw will hopefully sit their warrior vigil soon." He continued to speak, but didn't mention the alliance between ShadowClan and ThunderClan, probably to make sure RiverClan and WindClan didn't feel threatened and edge closer together. Swiftstar spoke immediately after Darkstar, leaving it to Brightstar and Streamstar. They stared at each other a moment, before Brightstar stepped forward.

"Silvermist's kits will be apprenticed soon," she announced, "and Batpaw of ShadowClan has stepped in to being our temporary medicine cat. ThunderClan is stronger than ever before." Her eyes swept over the clearing. "You may find a ginger apprentice wandering your territory, smelling of ThunderClan," she continued. "Her name is Gingerpaw, but she is no longer with ThunderClan. She left us of her own free will."

"She left because her sister let her escape," Badgerstripe growled to his father, who nodded in agreement.

Brightstar continued speaking of the territory and prey, before nodding to Streamstar.

"Brightstar, Silvermist's kits are nearly four moons, correct?" Streamstar asked. Brightstar nodded. "And they are weaned?" Streamstar continued, pausing to allow Brightstar to nod. "Then they no longer need their mother," Streamstar announced, "and should be returned to their birth Clan, the Clan of their parents."

Brightstar bristled. "As we have stated, it is Silvermist's decision as to what she has to do with her kits." Her eyes narrowed. "ThunderClan will defend these kits," she growled, clearly implying a challenge.

"They will have to," Streamstar shot back, "for they belong with us."

"Is RiverClan really so desperate as to create war over four small kits?" Darkstar asked. "It seems more prudent to allow nature to take its course. There will be more kits. RiverClan needn't depend on these four."

"You know nothing of RiverClan," Streamstar hissed to him. For a moment, Swiftstar almost seemed indecisive as to which side to take. Then, he nodded.

"The warrior code states that kits should be tended to, even if they are from another Clan, which ThunderClan has done," Swiftstar meowed. "However, they do belong with the Clan that created them, which is RiverClan. If these were half-Clan kits, there might be trouble, but since both cats were RiverClan when they were conceived, they belong with RiverClan."

"ThunderClan will let their mother decide, and that is all there is to the matter," Brightstar replied evenly, flattening her fur. "Streamstar, share your news."

Streamstar's eyes narrowed. "RiverClan is doing well," she growled, "but with some of our apprentices edging close to becoming warriors, the need of more apprentices, and therefore more kits, is becoming apparent. We need the next generation of apprentices for our Clan, to hunt and fish for us."

_I wonder if there is some sort of problem, if RiverClan is so desperate for these kits, _Tigerpaw thought. _They look healthy, but is that just a trick? Are they just picking their best-looking warriors to bring so they look strong?_

Streamstar finished her speech quickly, leaving an empty silence hanging over the heads of the group. The leaders glanced at each other uncertainly.

"The bottom line," Streamstar said, "if RiverClan doesn't get the kits before the half moon, we will attack."

**AN: Ideas for Blackheart's kits? Remember, their father is Darkstar, so they will more than likely be black, or at least very dark. Post ideas for names/appearances!**


	45. Chapter 43: Heartbreaking Choice

**AN: Wow, you guys have a lot of kits running around. I'll consider all of them, promise, but unless Blackheart becomes an incredible kit machine, not all of them will be used. xD**

**Warriors06: I loved Scourge too! Although I never really liked Hawkfrost for some reason. I think his name just sounded stupid, so I didn't like him. xD**

**Ginnystar: Thanks! Minnowkit's a bit silly, eh?**

**Everyone else: Again, thanks for the kit ideas! I'll see what I can do. If they don't fit into Black's litter, I can prolly put them in another litter, maybe in another story or something.**

43

Tigerpaw almost thought Brightstar would spring at Streamstar, but remarkably Brightstar kept her cool.

"We shall see," was all she said. Swiftstar appeared uncomfortable.

"Shall we declare the meeting over, then?" he asked. Brightstar and Streamstar both nodded quickly, and all four leaders sprang down from their rock. Tigerpaw saw Batpaw rejoin ThunderClan, looking disgruntled, as ThunderClan left the Gathering together.

Brightstar appeared troubled as they left, and for good reason. RiverClan was very serious about Silvermist's kits, it appeared.

As soon as they arrived, Brightstar climbed up onto the HighRock, and told the Clan of Streamstar's ultimatum. The Clan murmured among themselves uneasily.

"We should give up the kits," Viperfang said calmly. Several cats glared or hissed at him, but he remained calm. "It's the only way we are going to get out of this without bloodshed, Brightstar. RiverClan didn't hesitate to kill Petalcloud for the kits. They'll kill again."

"I know," Brightstar said, her eyes clouded with grief.

"I said it before, Brightstar," Silvermist said, coming out of the nursery. "I don't want to hurt ThunderClan. I love my kits dearly…but I don't want to cost ThunderClan any more lives. You've all been very kind to me, more than a RiverClan cat deserves right now. I'll give up my kits for the Clan if that is what it takes."

Brightstar gazed down at her, and then sighed. "At the Gathering, I said it was your choice. Choose what your heart tells you…but every cat here is willing to fight for what we think of as ThunderClan kits."

Silvermist's blue eyes were bright with emotion as she nodded, before turning back and disappearing into the nursery.

_Silvermist can't give up her kits! _Tigerpaw thought. _Not after what we've already fought for! All those moons here! We can't give them up to RiverClan now._

He wanted to follow her into the nursery, to convince her, but it was late and he was desperately tired. He and Lionpaw padded into the apprentice den and curled up to sleep.

* * *

He awoke to a gentle nudge in the side. Tigerpaw opened his eyes sleepily, blinking, feeling rather confused. A silvery form blinked down at him.

"Tigerpaw," she whispered. "Please. I need your help."

"Silvermist?" Tigerpaw asked sleepily. "What's going on?"

"I'm giving my kits to RiverClan," the silver queen said, her voice dull with grief. "Please. I can't do it alone, and I'm afraid someone else would stop me…."

Tigerpaw awoke instantly. "What!" he exclaimed. "Silvermist, you can't!" He found Silvermist's tail at his lips as she silenced him.

"Come with me," Silvermist said, leading him to the nursery. Her four kits were curled up together, sleeping soundly. Tigerpaw looked down at them, and then up at Silvermist.

"How can you give them up?"

"I've been speaking with RiverClan over the last moon, meeting them in secret, going over the river," Silvermist said in a hushed voice. "I finally convinced them to only take two kits, thinking that way…." Her voice broke. "That way, I can at least keep two of my babies…." She couldn't speak any longer, and simply blinked down at her kits.

"Which two are you giving up?" Tigerpaw asked. Silvermist closed her eyes.

"I can't take Stormkit. He looks exactly like Stormheart, and I miss him so…Creek-kit looks exactly like my sister, and I can't give her up either. It's tearing my heart, but Minnowkit and Swiftkit…." She trailed off, hanging her head.

"At least they'll be together," Tigerpaw said, trying to console her but inside he was reeling. Out of all of the kits, Minnowkit was his favorite; he had actually been hoping to mentor her one day. It was not to be, though, as it appeared she would no longer be with ThunderClan after this night.

"We're meeting a RiverClan cat tonight, to bring the kits. I can't carry both of them myself, with them getting so big…four moons now. Tigerpaw, will you help me?" Silvermist turned her blue gaze onto him, her eyes dark and pleading. Tigerpaw hesitated, and then bowed his head.

"How could I not?"

* * *

They padded swiftly through the forest together, pelts stained silver by the moonlight. Minnowkit was in Tigerpaw's jaws, still asleep. Swiftkit was with Silvermist, asleep as well.

They halted at Sunningrocks, and two sinewy silvery shapes slipped into the river and padded onto ThunderClan territory, the water shedding from their pelts easily.

"Hello, Silvermist," one cat said. Her voice was gentle.

"Raindapple," Silvermist said coolly. The she-cat sighed.

"Don't act like we're enemies, Silvermist. We were best friends, remember?" Raindapple asked. Silvermist set Swiftkit down.

"Were is the important word there," Silvermist replied, and Tigerpaw set Minnowkit down. The two kits began to stir.

"Mother, where are we?" Minnowkit asked sleepily. "Unke Tiggypaw?"

"You're going on a journey," Tigerpaw whispered, feeling sorrow rise up inside of him. "You're going to live in RiverClan now, okay? You'll be happy and have adventures and stuff."

"You too, Swiftkit," Silvermist whispered.

"Where's Creek-kit? And Stormkit?" Swiftkit asked. "Aren't they coming?"

"No, darling. They can't," Silvermist said, and nuzzled both of her kits. "Mommy loves you, remember that…." Her voice broke again and she had to take a step backwards. Raindapple stepped forward.

"We'll take good care of them, Silvermist, I promise," Raindapple said, and picked Swiftkit up gently. Swiftkit was nodding back to sleep again, but Minnowkit's eyes were wide as the other RiverClan queen picked her up as well.

"I see you again, Unke Tiggypaw?" Minnowkit asked anxiously.

"Yeah," Tigerpaw said, although his throat was tight, "I'll see you again. I promise."

**AN: Another question for fans of Tiger x White: What is it exactly about White that makes you love her so? It's surprising to me, since I didn't originally intend for her to be important at all (just an extra if I needed a kit, or something) and even after she became Tiger's friend, I didn't think she'd be important. She's really grown, though, so I'm curious: What makes you like Tiger x White over Tiger x Fox or Tiger x Ginger or even Tiger x Lion (ew)?**

**And before you ask, I'm not against male x male, since I in fact support Raven x Barley. It's just with these two….0.o**


	46. Chapter 44: Creekkit

**AN: *cuddles Minnowkit plushie***

**Cinderpaw: Even when you are sad your posts amuse me. xD**

**Rubyblaze: Ah, I see.**

**Ally: You're welcome, and don't worry! I have plans for Dusk-kit. ;) And something terrible would happen if they had to fight each other. D:**

**Heatherflower: Thanks! Glad that part was touching. I was trying to, but I'm not a very good writer when it comes to those sorts of things. D:**

**EeveeCelebi: There's already a Nightpool, in RiverClan (grr, I hate her) but depending on when the kits are born, I'll see what I can do.**

**Warriors06: *tosses you a real Tiggypaw plushie* **

44

Tigerpaw and Silvermist padded home together, neither one speaking. Tigerpaw's heart was heavy as he wished Silvermist a good night, before curling up in his den and letting out a quiet sigh.

_StarClan, watch over Minnowkit and Swiftkit, and let this be easier for Silvermist to bear, _he prayed, before closing his eyes.

* * *

It was Foxpaw who woke him the next morning. "Brightstar's called a meeting," she said. "Hurry, come on, I think it has something to do with Silvermist's kits!"

Tigerpaw nodded slowly and got to his paws. They felt as heavy as rocks when he realized he would probably never speak to Minnowkit in a friendly manner ever again. What if they had to fight someday? What if being in RiverClan changed her for the worst, from a sweet, gentle kit to a cat like Nightpool?

Tigerpaw sat down by Foxpaw, with Whitepaw and Lionpaw on his other side.

Brightstar was standing on top of the HighRock, with Silvermist nearby. "Tell them what transpired last night, Silvermist," she said.

Silvermist took a deep breath. "Last night, I took two of my kits to RiverClan," she mewed. "RiverClan cats and I had been negotiating in secret during the last moon, for peace, and finally they would accept two kits and allow ThunderClan to keep the other two. Last night I took Minnowkit and Swiftkit to the border, where two RiverClan cats took them to their new home." Her heart was bowed, and the sorrow in her voice was evident for all to hear.

"Silvermist, we told you we would fight for you," Brightstar said gently. "You didn't have to give up your kits."

"I did," Silvermist said, and her blue eyes blazed as she looked up at her leader. "You don't know Streamstar, or Nightpool. I grew up with them! They will do whatever it takes to get whatever it is that they want, don't you understand? What they want are these kits, and they would kill all of ThunderClan to get them."

Brightstar was quiet for a moment, and then nodded. "ThunderClan respects your decision for peace, Silvermist," she said in a heavy voice, "but I don't think RiverClan will stop at two kits. I may not know the leader or deputy personally, but giving their recent behavior, I think they want them all." She sighed quietly. "We will need to order more patrols around Sunningrocks, if this is the case."

The Clan below nodded, and Tigerpaw was surprised to see that not too many of the cats there seemed to be saddened by the loss of Silvermist's kits.

Foxpaw nudged him. "Silvermist couldn't have carried two kits by herself," she whispered. "Did you…?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Tigerpaw said bluntly, and stood, padding into the nursery as Brightstar descended the HighRock.

"So they aren't coming back?" he heard Creek-kit whimper. Silvermist must have nodded, for Creek-kit let out a sniffle and her voice was muffled by her mother's fur. "I'm gonna miss them."

Tigerpaw entered the nursery hesitantly, not wanting to intrude, but wanting to see the kits Silvermist had saved and reassure himself that her decision had been correct. Stormkit turned to blink at Tigerpaw as he entered the den with his amber eyes. Creek-kit glared at him.

"You helped steal our sisters!" she hissed. "How could you?"

Tigerpaw was a bit taken aback; he and Creek-kit had always gotten along well. "It was your mother's choice," he replied, glancing at Silvermist.

"Some choice," Stormkit growled. "She didn't have a choice. Her only choice was choosing who to keep."

Tigerpaw sat down, and simply blinked at the kits. Silvermist tried to lick Creek-kit, but the little kit drew away from her mother. "How could you do that to our sisters?" Creek-kit hissed.

"Honey, it was the only way you two could stay here with me," Silvermist began.

"But aren't we equal? Don't you love us all the same?" Creek-kit demanded.

"Yes, sweets, I do, but—"

"Then how could you get rid of them?" Creek-kit hissed. "I'd rather be with them right now than with you!"

Silvermist recoiled as if she had been struck.

"Don't talk to your mother like that!" Tigerpaw cried. "She's just doing what she thinks is best for you, for all of you. She's sacrificed just as much as you have!"

"Shut up!" Creek-kit exclaimed, and rushed towards him with her sharp little claws out. "You don't know anything!"

Tigerpaw blocked her with one paw and sent her rolling backwards with a little flick of his other paw. "You can't fight me," Tigerpaw said. "Now just calm down. It will make sense when you're older, I promise."

Creek-kit glared at him, but her lower lip was wobbling. She collapsed on the ground, burying her head in her paws, as her little body shook with grief. Silvermist curled around her.

"I think you should go, please, Tigerpaw," Silvermist said quietly. Tigerpaw bowed his head and slunk out of the den, feeling Stormkit's amber eyes staring at him as he left.

**AN: Updates will be slow today. My dad is being an idiot; the one free day that I have where I don't have to do ANYTHING, I'm only allowed two computer hours for the entire day. Nevermind that I wasn't even ON for two hours yesterday, when I cleaned up three puddles of dog barf and had to go to a stupid mall and didn't even get to eat dinner. BAH. I'll try to cheat, but unless he leaves/goes to sleep, it isn't likely.**


	47. Chapter 45: Poisoned

**AN: *yawns* It's late. Sorry, I just managed to get back on. Dictator Dad!**

**Warriors06: *cuddles Tiger-slicing Scourge* :D**

**Heatherflower: *pats the kits* Poor things. Sorry you have school tomorrow. If it makes you feel better, so do I. D:**

**Cinderpaw: *tosses Minnowkit plushie***

**Rlap: Excellent deduction! You were spot-on about Gingerpaw, although you may have guessed from the reviews. xD About Lion, Fox, and Tiger…can't say, my friend.**

**Rubyblaze: Indeed!**

**Ally: Snowmen are awesome! :D I love Minnowkit too much to let her poof, no worries. Now, about the evil part….**

**GinnyStar: Thank ya. =)**

45

Tigerpaw hesitated once out of the nursery, feeling useless. A few days ago he had been on top of the world; he had discovered the killer, saved ThunderClan, made a temporary sort of alliance with Lionpaw, and he and Whitepaw were still friends. Now, though, at the sight of Silvermist losing half of her family, Tigerpaw felt as if he had crashed back to earth.

It was a feeling that would stay with him the rest of the moon. Tigerpaw turned nine, Lionpaw and Whitepaw turned ten, and Foxpaw turned eleven moons, nearly a warrior. That moon was peaceful and calm, perhaps of the chilling winds that swept through the four Clan's, telling of leaf-bares's journey towards them. It was leaf-fall now, and although it was early, already the leaves were beginning to change their color, swapping their old green for vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds. The forest was beautiful, but Tigerpaw knew the crushing power of leaf-bare was on its way. He just hoped Minnowkit and Swiftkit were enjoying it while they could. Silvermist's kits were all five moons old now, and soon they would become apprentices.

The Gathering rolled around, and once again Tigerpaw was picked, as were Foxpaw and Whitepaw. Tensions were still high in the Clan, and many cats – such as Patchpelt and Badgerstripe – still held a grudge against Foxpaw. However, with leaf-bare approaching, the Clan had to remain strong to survive.

Brightstar led the warriors and apprentices that she had chosen to the slope above Fourtrees. For once, ThunderClan didn't have to be cautious with what they said; there was peace among the four Clans, or so it appeared. Brightstar led them down into the clearing. RiverClan and ShadowClan were already there, but WindClan was strangely absent.

Tigerpaw looked around for any sign of Raindapple, one of the queens that had taken Silvermist's kits, but there was no sign of her. Blackheart was absent as well, but Tigerpaw had expected that. Batpaw and Shadefur shared tongues as they had before. This time, however, Tigerpaw interrupted them.

"How is Blackheart?" he asked anxiously. "Is everything going alright with her?"

"Ah, you must be Tigerpaw!" Shadefur exclaimed. "Most of ShadowClan has heard about you; the brave little ThunderClan kit that nearly became ShadowClan!" Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

"To answer your question, Blackheart had her kits," Batpaw said. He looked anxious.

"Four kits," Shadefur elaborated. "One female, three males."

"Oh!" Tigerpaw exclaimed. "Is she okay? Are the kits okay?"

"Most of them are just fine," Shadefur replied, "but I'm a little anxious about Littlekit, one of the toms. He's rather small. I'm sure he'll be just fine, though."

"I still think I should go home," Batpaw grumbled. "Nothing happens in ThunderClan anyway, and you've got your paws full!"

Shadefur's eyes darkened. "ShadowClan has been busy this moon, for certain," she said quietly. Tigerpaw blinked at her curiously, but she said nothing else.

"WindClan!" Batpaw exclaimed as a small group of cats entered the clearing. "About time those mangy furballs got here!"

Tigerpaw was about to comment on their lateness, when he noticed how thin they all looked. WindClan was always thin, of course, but these cats looked worse than normal. Their fur was patchy as well, and several looked about to collapse.

"Swiftstar!" Streamstar exclaimed. "What took you so long?"

"You'll hear soon enough," the WindClan leader growled, springing atop the Great Rock. He cast a look so full of venom at Darkstar, Tigerpaw was surprised Darkstar didn't drop dead.

Brightstar and Streamstar joined them, and the Gathering began.

"WindClan will speak first," Swiftstar hissed, stalking forward. "ShadowClan has been poisoning WindClan!" he announced. Gasps of shock echoed in the clearing, although Tigerpaw noticed they mainly came from RiverClan and ThunderClan cats.

"One of our apprentices found a dead rat on our territory," Swiftstar said. "He was young, and simply thinking that it was a mouse, brought it back to camp. Sickness has swept through our camp the last moon. It killed one of our queens, Poppyfur, who was near her kitting time."

Tigerpaw's eyes widened. _Such a loss! _He thought. _Not just one, but many lives! _

"How do you know ShadowClan is to blame for this?" Brightstar questioned.

"The rat came from Carrionplace!" Swiftstar hissed. "Who else could it have been, but ShadowClan? They practically live there!"

"You will not insult my Clan's honor like this!" Darkstar roared. "ShadowClan would have nothing to gain by killing you or your Clan!"

"ShadowClan's territory has always been the most foul of the four Clans!" Swiftstar snarled, his eyes looking bright and feverish. "Even our territory looks bright compared to yours! ThunderClan is your ally, and you would not risk an attack from them, but you thought we would be weaker, easier to overpower!" He unsheathed his claws. "That is not the case!"

Tigerpaw looked up at the sky, but there was not a cloud in sight. _Swiftstar is about to strike Darkstar! _Tigerpaw thought. _Does StarClan approve?_

Tigerpaw glanced at Shadefur, but her eyes were on Darkstar, round with worry. Tigerpaw looked around the clearing, and saw both WindClan and ShadowClan cats bristling, hissing at each other. ThunderClan and RiverClan both looked uncertain.

"Swiftstar, calm yourself!" Brightstar said. "We will not break Clan law at a Gathering. Swiftstar, the fact of where the rat came from is not evidence enough. What other evidence is there to suggest that this is ShadowClan's doing?"

Swiftstar simply kneaded the rock with his claws, not answering.

"ShadowClan will not sit here and be accused of a crime we did not commit," Darkstar growled. "Earlier this moon, WindClan attacked _us!"_

"We attacked because we knew you poisoned us!" Swiftstar retorted hotly. Both leaders were bristling and hissing now, and it almost seemed certain and fight was about to break out between the two Clans.

**AN: Thank you to Cinderpaw for Cinderkit and Ashkit (I believe you suggested Cinderkit for Silvermist's litter, as well as Blackheart's so I figured I'd use it, same for Ashkit) , Littlecloud for Littlekit (another one that was suggested for Silvermist's litter, but I thought this could fit too), and Wildstar for Snakekit. Sorry to everyone whose cat names didn't get used. They're be more litters, no worries. :D**


	48. Chapter 46: Hawkfrost

**AN:**

**Oh, Cinderpaw. How I love you.**

46

"Swiftstar, unless there is proof this was ShadowClan's doing, ThunderClan will stand by them," Brightstar announced, moving to stand beside Darkstar as she spoke. Streamstar's eyes flicked between the two groups, as if she was sizing up which side to join. She must have realized the sick, weak WindClan cats were not wise allies, for she nodded, padding to stand beside Brightstar and Darkstar.

"RiverClan will not wage war without need," she said. Swiftstar's jaw dropped, and he appeared shocked that RiverClan would side with ThunderClan. Tigerpaw was shocked as well. Within a single Gathering, alliances had changed against WindClan.

"RiverClan traitors," Swiftstar snarled, but his ears were flat as he realized his plight. If a fight broke out, he and his warriors would not survive against three healthier Clans.

"WindClan is leaving," he hissed finally, and with a flick of his tail WindClan warriors began disappearing into the forest. "May StarClan punish you all," he said as a departing insult, before following his warriors. The remaining three leaders glanced at one another.

"A Gathering cannot proceed with only three Clans," Brightstar said finally. "ThunderClan is going home."

"Thank you for your support," Darkstar said, dipping his head to her.

"RiverClan would like to remind you that our business is not yet concluded," Streamstar said to Brightstar, before she motioned to her own warriors that RiverClan was leaving. Brightstar's eyes flashed, but she said nothing, simply leading her warriors back to camp.

* * *

"So?" Lionpaw asked eagerly. "Did we kick some RiverClan butt? Get the kits back? Anything?"

"We weren't even against RiverClan this time," Whitepaw said. "RiverClan sided with us, actually."

Disbelief flashed across Lionpaw's face. "Against who?"

"WindClan," Foxpaw answered. Lionpaw ignored her completely. Ever since she had let Gingerpaw escape, he acted as if she didn't exist. Tigerpaw let out a growl of irritation, and nipped Lionpaw's flank. Lionpaw swatted Tigerpaw's muzzle, before turning back to Whitepaw.

"Brightstar will tell you," Whitepaw said coolly, before looking up at the HighRock, where Brightstar was standing.

"WindClan accused ShadowClan of poisoning them this night," Brightstar announced. "A deceased rat was brought in by a WindClan apprentice, crippling WindClan. ShadowClan claims not to have done it, and as WindClan has no proof, we stand with Darkstar. RiverClan joined us tonight, surprisingly, perhaps not because of their belief on the issue, but the knowledge that WindClan is now a feeble ally."

The rest of ThunderClan seemed just as shocked as Tigerpaw at how the alliances had changed so swiftly.

"RiverClan does claim to have unfinished business with, us, however," Brightstar continued. "I fear Silvermist's sacrifice was not enough to quench them."

"We'll fight for them," Tigerpaw declared loudly. "Silvermist's given up two kits already. She's not going to lose anymore!"

He glanced to one side and saw Silvermist blinking at him, the gratitude evident in her blue eyes.

"I agree," Snowflight said.

"RiverClan should be glad we haven't chased them out of the forest by now," Viperfang growled. "I don't care about RiverClan kits, but RiverClan themselves are over-stepping themselves. We could storm their camp, snatch the kits back, and steal RiverClan's own kits if we wanted to!"

Several cats laughed, but others were nodding with agreement.

"RiverClan needs to see they cannot make endless demands," Duskclaw rumbled. "Brightstar, I propose a raid. WindClan is too weak to get involved, and they won't side with RiverClan. ShadowClan is allied with us. Now is the perfect time to strike against them, and perhaps even get out kits back."

Brightstar considered it for a moment. "We will leave them alone, for now," she decided. "However, if they think they can steal our kits and make demands of us, they are wrong."

The Clan nodded in agreement, and Brightstar descended the HighRock.

"Tigerpaw," Batpaw called, and Tigerpaw padded over to him. "Since you asked, I thought you'd be interested to know that Blackheart named the female Cinderkit, and the males are Ashkit, Littlekit, and Snakekit," Batpaw said. Tigerpaw blinked, and then nodded.

"Thank you," he said. He couldn't help but be relieved that Blackheart hadn't named one of them "Toadkit", considering the time he spent in ShadowClan as a kit.

* * *

RiverClan was not seen for the next several days. Then, approaching the half moon (during which Tigerpaw turned ten moons, Lionpaw and Whitepaw turned eleven, and Foxpaw turned twelve) signs of RiverClan's presence began appearing near Sunningrocks. Finally, a patrol caught several RiverClan cats there, and held them there until Brightstar arrived. One of the RiverClan cats was Nightpool, who demanded to be taken to their camp. Brightstar agreed, but the other RiverClan warriors were forced to go back into their territory, leaving Nightpool alone and defenseless against being taken prisoner.

Nightpool entered ThunderClan camp with her chin high, ignoring the stares and hisses from the other cats.

"Murderer," Snowflight growled as she passed him, clearly thinking of Petalcloud, his sister. Tigerpaw simply watched as Nightpool was taken into Brightstar's den. The Clan remained tense, on edge, sure that at any moment RiverClan warriors would storm the camp demanding kits. However, Nightpool left peacefully. It wasn't until Brightstar told the Clan what had been discussed that things took a turn for the worst.

"Nightpool is demanding Silvermist's other kits," Brightstar said. Silvermist let out a hiss.

"She swore if I gave her Minnowkit and Swiftkit, she wouldn't bother us again," Silvermist said, curling her tail protectively around Stormkit and Creek-kit, who had followed their mother aboveground. Brightstar nodded.

"I know, but she claims Minnowkit and Swiftkit are unhappy, and that she wants the other kits so they can all be together," Brightstar said.

"If she wants them to be happy, let them come home!" Tigerpaw yowled, feeling furious.

"In Nightpool's mind, they _are_ home," Brightstar said. "I told her I would discuss the matter with my Clan. What are your thoughts?"

"We attack!" Viperfang snarled. "RiverClan does not own or control ThunderClan!"

The rest of the Clan yowled in agreement, and a smile curled Brightstar's muzzle.

"I knew my Clan would be courageous," she said. "We will attack at dawn, swimming over the river and storming their camp. Our mission will not be to steal Minnowkit and Swiftkit back, merely to show RiverClan we will not be threatened. Snowflight, Viperfang, Dapplefur, Firestorm, and Patchpelt will be coming." She paused for a moment. "Foxpaw, Lionpaw, you will come as well."

Tigerpaw's jaw dropped. He wasn't coming? He couldn't believe it! How could Brightstar not take him! He, more than any other cat beside Silvermist herself, cared about Minnowkit and Swiftkit! He, more than most of the other cats cared about proving himself to RiverClan! How dare Brightstar not take him!

Tigerpaw let out a hiss of rage, and turned, stalking into the apprentice den. He curled up in his nest, still fuming. Brightstar continued to speak, but he did not hear her over his own buzzing thoughts. Then, a strange, sudden weariness swept over him, even though it was early and he had not been tired a moment before. He struggled to stay awake, but his world went black.

"_Sorry, Tigerpaw," he heard Tigerstar say. "But I had to make you sleep for this. Tigerpaw, you must fight in this battle. It will bring you that much closer to becoming a warrior."_

"_I know, but Brightstar won't let me fight!" Tigerpaw exclaimed._

"_Do whatever you must to get into that battle!" Tigerstar hissed. "It is more important than you realize!" His fur was bristling and his eyes were wild. For a moment, Tigerpaw was scared. Had Tigerstar really made him fall asleep? Did he have that power over Tigerpaw?_

_Tigerstar calmed himself, and his fur lay flat again. "Here, Tigerpaw," he said, and a Tigerstar-replica padded forward, touching noses with Tigerpaw quickly._

"_With this life, I give you your ambitions," the replica said. "Let no cat stand in your way."_

_Instantly, Tigerpaw was afire with pain as the memories surged through him, all of which contained a tabby with a strange resemblance to Brambleclaw, despite his blue eyes._

Hawkfrost, _he thought, as his new memories supplied the name._ My son.

"_Let this give you strength, Tigerpaw, and make sure you are in that battle," Tigerstar said. Tigerpaw nodded quickly, and faded, leaving Tigerpaw alone._


	49. Chapter 47: Raid

**AN:**

**Ally: Maybeh, maybeh not. 0.o**

**Ginnystar: Thanks, and indeed he is. :O**

**Cinderpaw *hands tissue* Yes, we're just full of fights here, eh?**

47

Tigerpaw awoke, and was startled to find that it was dusk. He frowned. The time that padded between the Dark Forest and real life seemed inconsistent. It seemed as if he hadn't been in the Dark Forest very long at all, but here whole hours had passed….

He padded out of the den, and went into Brightstar's den. She wasn't there, and he frowned.

"Hey, Lightcloud, do you know where Brightstar is?" he asked, padding towards the golden she-cat. She blinked at him.

"She and the other warriors that are going on the raid went on the final patrol for the night," she replied. "They're going to select a crossing path from which they'll storm RiverClan's camp."

"Oh," Tigerpaw said. "When will they be back?"

Lightcloud simply shrugged. "Brightstar said she didn't want to be disturbed when she returned; everyone will need a good night's rest."

"Oh," Tigerpaw said again, and his tail drooped. How was he going to join the battle now?

_Do what you did at the Gathering, _a voice seemed to whisper to him. Tigerpaw remembered how he had followed the warriors in secret when he hadn't been allowed to go to the first Gathering. Could he do the same thing with this battle?

_Yes, _he decided. _I'll doubtlessly get in trouble, but I want to help, and maybe speak with the kits if I can._

With that decision, he padded back to his den and curled up. He would need a good night's rest too.

* * *

Foxpaw moving beside him was what woke him the next morning. He pretended to be asleep, waiting for Foxpaw and Lionpaw to leave, before he raised his head and crept to the entrance of the apprentice den. He watched as Brightstar collected the cats for the raid.

"Remember, this is simply a warning to them," she cautioned. "I want no one killed, but injure as many cats as you can. RiverClan must realize they are not stronger than ThunderClan."

"Understood," the gathered cats meowed, and Brightstar led them out of the camp. Tigerpaw paused for a moment, allowing them to get far ahead of him, before he trotted out of camp silently, following their scent.

Like a crow's flight, the raiding party went straight for Sunningrocks, not taking any detours. Tigerpaw thought they would walk across the stepping stones over the river, but that would take too long. Rather, several cats walked over the stepping stones, while some crept across a large fallen log and leaping to the other side. Still others swam as best they could; the river was quite low, for once. They disappeared from sight, and Tigerpaw carefully followed, jumping from stone to stone as he followed. They were smooth and wet under his paws, and he nearly fell off of one, but saved himself in the nick of time, although he hurt one of his claws doing so. Finally, he was across, and still following the scent of ThunderClan, although the strong, fishy scent of RiverClan battered his nose. Up ahead, he heard Brightstar's battle cry, before the sounds of a terrible battle began. Tigerpaw raced forward, stopping at the entrance of RiverClan camp. It was a flurry of activity, with the queens racing to the nursery, nudging confused kits towards the safety of the nursery. Several cats were simply standing there in shock as ThunderClan warriors tore through their ranks.

_How do you like it, RiverClan? _Tigerpaw thought. _How do you like it when we invade _your _Clan?_

His gaze swept over the battlefield, looking for a familiar calico pelt; the pelt of Splashpelt. He burned with rage every time he thought of her, and how she had nearly killed him moons before. _We'll see who is stronger this time. _

He couldn't seem to find her at first. Then, as he crept down the slope farther into camp, his eyes widened as he saw Splashpelt stalking someone from behind. That white and ginger pelt….

"Brightstar, look out!" he cried, but Brightstar was fighting another cat and didn't hear him. Tigerpaw charged forward, and sprang just as Splashpelt lunged for Brightstar. He knocked Splashpelt onto her side.

"You!" she hissed, and struggled underneath him, clawing at his stomach. Tigerpaw drew back, hissing. They circled each other for a moment.

"You've gotten big, whelp," Splashpelt taunted. "Missing those kit-friends of yours? You, who helped bring them here in the first place?"

"Shut up," Tigerpaw snarled, and a strange, powerful rage suddenly burnt inside of him. Without warning, he sprang forward, landing on Splashpelt and tearing at her with his claws. She thrashed underneath him and landed several deep gashes on his stomach, but he ignored them, caring only about hurting her, slicing her, cutting her as deeply as he could. Finally, his claws met her throat, blood bubbling up underneath his claws. He stared down at her, gasping for breath, blood staining her calico fur, and wanting nothing more to press his claws down and end it all.

"Tigerpaw, stop!" Brightstar demanded. "ThunderClan never kills unless there is no choice!"

As if her words had flipped a switch inside of him, suddenly the murderous rage dropped away. He stepped off of Splashpelt, feeling sickened as she let out a rattle, before going limp. Her sides rose and fell still, so he knew she was alive, but the thought of how close he had been to killing her made him want to vomit.

"What are you doing here, Tigerpaw?" Brightstar demanded. "You were not chosen."

"I had to help," Tigerpaw said, his amber eyes narrowed. "For Silvermist's kits."

Brightstar let out a quiet growl, before glancing around. Many RiverClan warriors were retreating to lick their wounds, and ThunderClan was beginning to back up as well.

"ThunderClan will not be defeated!" Viperfang roared, at the retreating cats. "We will not be ordered about!"

"ThunderClan, we have proven our point," Brightstar yowled, raising her tail high. ThunderClan and RiverClan split apart, and ThunderClan turned, racing out of RiverClan's camp and back to their own together.

**AN: Eh, kinda short, but if all goes well we will get to learn Tigerpaw's father's name today! :D**


	50. Chapter 48: Father

**AN: **

**Warriors06: *kicks Splashpelt***

**Ravenwhisper: Why thank you! That's very kind of you. :D**

**Heatherflower: You'll just have to wait and see. :D**

**Cinderpaw: *types extra slowly***

48

Batpaw sighed quietly at seeing the ThunderClan warriors return, battered, bruised, bloody, but triumphant.

"All went well, I take it?" he asked. Brightstar nodded quickly, and called the Clan, without bothering to getting up on the HighRock. "I think RiverClan has gotten the message," she said simply, causing laughs to ripple throughout the Clan.

"Come on, all of you," Batpaw said irritably. "The sooner I treat you, the sooner I can go back to sleep."

He checked each of the cats over, patching some of them up, simply dismissing others. He tended to Tigerpaw's stomach, before allowing him to go. Only Brightstar remained in her den; she had apparently taken quite a beating.

"You were in the battle?" Foxpaw asked in surprise, blinking at him. One ear was torn, but she was otherwise unharmed, except for a few scratches.

"I couldn't stay behind, could I?" Tigerpaw asked simply. Foxpaw laughed.

"That was brave of you, for sure," she said. "Is Brightstar angry?"

As if on cue, Batpaw called, "Brightstar wants to see you, Tigerpaw!"

Tigerpaw winced. "I guess we'll just find out, huh?" he asked, before padding into the medicine den. Brightstar blinked at him as he entered with bright eyes; despite her injuries, she seemed pleased.

"Sit down, Tigerpaw," she said with considerable warmth.

"Am I in trouble?" Tigerpaw asked.

Brightstar shrugged. "Of a sort," she said. "You weren't supposed to come, Tigerpaw."

"I had to!" Tigerpaw burst out. "No one here cares more about those kits than I do!"

"That may be so," Brightstar said, "and that is precisely why you couldn't come." Her eyes were gentle. "You love those kits, and I couldn't have you endangering the mission. I was afraid you would seriously hurt someone, or attempt to see the kits; an act that might qualify as full-fledged war. This was a simple mission, nothing more, and above all I didn't want it to escalate. I know you care deeply for the kits, and having compassion for others is a good thing. I was just afraid it would overtake you. And I was right; you disobeyed and nearly killed Splashpelt."

"But I saved your life!" Tigerpaw objected. Brightstar chuckled.

"Yes, one of them, and I'm very grateful for that," Brightstar said."I might have sounded snappish earlier, but in truth I am very grateful to you, don't underestimate me on that."

Tigerpaw blinked, and then nodded. "You're still a young cat, and young cats are often reckless," Brightstar continued. "However, you did show great courage today, just like your father."

Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. "M-my father?" he said, and then his ears flattened. "My father didn't have courage. He died like a coward."

Brightstar's eyes blazed. "Who told you that? Surely not Dapplefur!"

"No, I just heard it somewhere is all," Tigerpaw said, surprised by Brightstar's ferocity. "Isn't it true, though? He died on the Thunderpath."

"Yes, he did," Brightstar said, "but he died a hero.

"It was during the battle with ShadowClan; the final battle before you were born. It was a little while before you were born – two moons, perhaps? – and we were winning, running the ShadowClan cats off one by one. Your father and I had always been close friends, ever since we were young. He, Snowflight, and Firestorm used to get into all kinds of trouble….Your father had just run off a ShadowClan warrior. We were fighting near the Thunderpath, and so she was fleeing over it, badly injured. Your father would have let her go, but a monster was coming down the Thunderpath quickly, and the she-cat couldn't escape. He raced across the path to knock her out of the way; he almost didn't succeed, for she was still hit by the monster and set flying. He was crushed. I was there, watching the entire thing, but I was powerless; I was dying at the time, and as everything began fading for me, I saw him stirring briefly on the path. He was still alive, but I was already gone, and there was nothing I could do…by the time I returned, he was dead, and the ShadowClan she-cat had escaped. He didn't know it when he died, but she lived, and his actions later led to the eventual peace between our Clans; she was a favorite of Darkstar, you see, and she told him of your father's selfless act. In fact, if he had not saved her, you might have been killed when you went to ShadowClan as a kit."

Tigerpaw's eyes widened. "And he never knew?" he whispered. "So my father was a hero after all?" When Brightstar nodded, Tigerpaw frowned. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Everyone thinks he died a coward!"

"I didn't realize the implications of his death when I told the Clan he died on the Thunderpath," Brightstar admitted, "and when we were at war against ShadowClan, I was afraid his memory would be tarnished; I was afraid the Clan would think he had foolishly sacrificed himself for the enemy. Now that we are allies with ShadowClan, perhaps I can tell the Clan of what really happened…." She closed her eyes. "In any event, your father was a hero, at least in my eyes. You're a lucky cat, to have had a father like him. Your mother was lucky, too." She smiled at him, and then yawned. "Much of the day still remains, but I find myself fatigued, so if you would please allow me a moment to relax…."

Tigerpaw nodded quickly. "Of course," he replied, and got to his paws. He padded out of the medicine den before pausing and turning back to Brightstar. "Wait a moment," he said. "There's one thing I still don't know…what is my father's name?"

Again, Brightstar looked surprised. "You don't know…?"

Tigerpaw shook his head wordlessly, and Brightstar's eyes gentled. She looked almost as if she wasn't going to answer at all, and Tigerpaw turned to go. Just as he stepped out of the den, he heard Brightstar whisper,

"Oakstripe."

**AN: Not the best name but not the worst, right? /prepares for disappointment whiplash**


	51. Chapter 49: Foxpaw's Ceremony

AN: Sorry the updates didn't come yesterday; I was grounded. To reply:

souljaboy: I don't know what that means. D:

Cinderpaw: …moo?

Warriors06: I like the name, but I'm sure it isn't as speshul as what people were hoping for. It plays a role later in the story, though, so it works.

Ravenwhisper: Well, he did save her life so she can't punish him, really, and he distracted her with his father's story. Sneaky sneaky Tigerpaw. Plus he gets punished all the time anyways, or at least he used to. xD

Lyneye: A nice long review! *purrs* You're very kind! Thanks bunches! And although ShadowClan was my third favorite Clan (stoopid WindClan is the wurst) I actually like them in this story. It's like…role reversal with RiverClan, or something. . And yeah, all the warriors know about AC, they just don't think about it as often.

Ally: I don't think I did. Intuition for the win? And that would be awesome, but I'm not sure it will happen. Maybe….0.0

Once again, sorry for the lateness (and sorry for some of my weird spellings of words in this AN. I just felt like spelling special, stupid, and worst wrong for some reason….)

49

Tigerpaw left Brightstar's den, feeling as if he was walking on air. His father was a hero! His father had died saving the war! At that moment, he felt as if he could take down all of RiverClan, even Streamstar, with one swipe.

His mood didn't falter even when Lionpaw glowered at him near the apprentice den.

"You snuck away and didn't even get in trouble!" Lionpaw hissed. "Favoritism!"

"Maybe if you were nicer, Brightstar would like you too," Whitepaw retorted, cuffing her brother's ear. Tigerpaw smiled at her, and then yawned. It was only sunhigh, but he still felt dreadfully tired.

_A nap will do me some good, _he decided, before padding into the apprentice den and curled up within.

* * *

At sunset, Brightstar was feeling much better. As such, she went upon the HighRock, to speak with her Clan.

"ThunderClan has shown RiverClan our strength today," she yowled. "They will not be so quick to make foolish demands again. Tomorrow, I will go to Highstones to see if StarClan will shed some light on the issue with WindClan. However, tonight, there is something I must do before I leave in the morning." Her eyes swept over the Clan. "Foxpaw, would you come up here please?"

Foxpaw exchanged glances with the other cats curiously, before getting to her paws and padding to the foot of the HighRock.

Brightstar nodded down to Patchpelt. "Patchpelt, are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior?"  
  
Patchpelt nodded. "Yes, she is ready." There was a glimmer in his eyes as he spoke, and Tigerpaw blinked in surprise. Had Patchpelt forgiven Foxpaw? Had she proved herself to the Clan again? Then, it hit him; she was going to be a warrior! Foxpaw's eyes widened.  
  
"I, Brightstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Brightstar blinked down at Foxpaw.  
" Foxpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend this clan, even at the cost of your life?"  
Foxpaw's green eyes were shining. " I do "  
" Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Foxpaw, from now on, you will be known as Foxfire, for your fiery fur and your bright heart. ThunderClan welcomes you as a warrior on your turn. You will serve your vigil tonight alone, in silence."

"Foxfire! Foxfire!" Tigerpaw yowled, the first to chant her name. Foxfire's friends took up the chant, and eventually Badgerstripe was the only one left not joining in. Foxfire positively glowed, but as Tigerpaw heard her name being chanted, it was as if someone had lit a candle inside of him. He felt almost as if he had suddenly exploded with rage, as anger coursed through him, making him tremble with controlled rage. _What's going on? _Tigerpaw thought, panicking. Then, as quickly as it had come, the anger faded, leaving Tigerpaw feeling dazed. It was the same kind of ambitious anger he had felt before, when he had recently gained Firestar's life. That hatred had subsided after he spoke with Tigerstar about it; he thought it was controlled. But apparently it wasn't. Rather, it appeared stronger than ever. And with Foxfire's warrior name bearing "fire", Tigerpaw was sure the problem would get even worse.

"Accompanying me to Highstones will be Lionpaw and Whitepaw," Brightstar said with a smile, as the Clan quieted. "With WindClan so weak, I don't think we'll need to worry about any sort of attack." With that, she sprang off of the HighRock, and padded into her den.

"Congratulations," Tigerpaw purred, padding up to Foxfire and nuzzling her side. 'It's an amazing name."

Foxfire nodded, but the pure happiness she had been radiating moments before was dulled now. "If only Gingerpaw…." She trailed off. Tigerpaw licked her side.

"Don't think about her," he meowed. "She made her choice; you made yours. You should be happy; you're a warrior now, after all."

Foxfire smiled, and nuzzled him. "Thanks," she purred, and then glanced up at the sky. "The sun's almost down. I shouldn't talk anymore," she whispered, and Tigerpaw nodded.

"Goodnight," he whispered, before looking around for Brightstar. He needed to talk to her immediately.

"Brightstar?" he called, entering her den and looking around quickly. Brightstar blinked at him warmly.

"Wondering about your own warrior ceremony?" she asked. Tigerpaw shook his head.

"I want to come with you," he said. Brightstar blinked at him.

"What?" she asked. "Why?"

"Well, Lionpaw and Whitepaw are…and I just want to come too," Tigerpaw said, looking at his paws. "Honestly…I want to speak with my dad again."

Brightstar frowned. "Again?"

Tigerpaw kept his eyes on his paws. "When Foxpaw and I went to Highstones together, I touched the Moonstone and spoke with my father for the first time," he admitted. "I just want to see him again, to let him know he didn't fail after all, you know?"

Brightstar's gaze gentled. "It's highly unusual for an apprentice to hare dreams with StarClan, even if they touch noses with the Moonstone…surprising," she mused, and then shrugged. "You are a unique case, I suppose, aren't you?" She smiled again. "You can come. Tell the other apprentices if you wish, Tigerstar."

Tigerpaw had been turning to go, but whipped around again. "Tigerstar?" he echoed.

"You're leader of ApprenticeClan now, aren't you?" Brightstar said evenly, but she didn't look at him, as if she was hiding something.

"I-I guess so," Tigerpaw said, before slipping out of the den, feeling confused. Had she really called him that because of ApprenticeClan? Or could she see the Tigerstar within him?


	52. Chapter 50: Prophecy

**AN:**

**Heatherflower: I humbly apologize. I miss reviews sometimes, so here you go: Thank you, and you'll find out soon enough. ^_^**

**Ravenwhisper: Poor Tiggypaw D:**

**Heatherflower (again): Thank you! I'm fond of her name. 3 Not sure what White's will be, or Lion's, but I know Tiger's fo sho.**

**Littlespark: Thank you and thank you!**

**Ally: I knows. Bad things are comin'. Yes, it took awhile to find the right name, but once I did…yay.**

**Ginnystar: Thanks. :D**

50

The next morning, all three apprentices were up and at it early in the morning. They paid a visit to Batpaw's den, where Batpaw gave them all their own packet of healing herbs. Tigerpaw grimaced at the taste and Lionpaw complained. Whitepaw merely swallowed, winced, and set her jaw resolutely. She knew this journey would allow them to be warriors in the near future, and she wasn't going to allow herbs to get in her way.

"We'll all have to be careful," Batpaw warned, "WindClan might be a little uppity since they think we're on ShadowClan's side in all this."

The apprentices all nodded and padded out of his den, where Brightstar was waiting for them.

"Let's hurry," was all she said, before turning and padding out of camp.

The group moved into WindClan territory without any problem. They did scent a WindClan patrol, but afraid of catching the sickness, they hid and allowed the patrol to pass. Batpaw had told them of the terrible illness; normally ShadowClan would have aided WindClan with their knowledge of herbs to battle the disease, but since ShadowClan and WindClan were not friendly at the moment, ShadowClan refused to help, leaving WindClan to slowly die. Whitepaw's golden eyes were troubled at his words.

"Can't you do anything to help WindClan?" Tigerpaw asked Batpaw. "I mean, ThunderClan isn't against WindClan at the moment…."

Batpaw snorted. "My loyalties lie with ShadowClan first, ThunderClan second," he replied coldly. "WindClan should have been more careful."

"It just seems so cruel," Whitepaw said quietly. Batpaw's eyes almost seemed to soften, but he said nothing more.

They soon approached the barn, but didn't stop to scent it over; they wanted to be home as quickly as they could. Finally, the craggy rocks of Highstones appeared. It looked just as impressive as Tigerpaw remembered, not shrunken like some things from his younger days appeared. Whitepaw's eyes were wide as she looked the area over; Lionpaw attempted to remain cool, but the way he held his tail low suggested he was feeling awed as well.

The gaping entrance of Mothermouth appeared.

"Wait here," Brightstar said to Whitepaw and Lionpaw, before she and Batpaw padded inside. Tigerpaw hesitated, until Brightstar flicked her tail to him and he followed her, feeling Lionpaw's outraged stare as he went.

The world became pitch-black for him, and he had to listen keenly for Brightstar's pawsteps just so he wouldn't get lost. Then, the dazzling light of the Moonstone pierced his eyes, and he was forced to close them. Both Batpaw and Brightstar sat down, touching the stone with their noses and relaxing almost instantly as their eyes closed. Brightstar appeared to be murmuring in her sleep, and for a moment, he was curious as to what Brightstar was dreaming of. Then, he took a deep breath and touched his nose to the ice-cold stone, closing his eyes as well.

_Tigerpaw looked around curiously, smiling as he relaxed under the bright sun overhead. The forest, bright and strong with the season of newleaf._

"_Tigerpaw!" he heard a familiar, deep voice exclaim. Tigerpaw turned, and smiled as he saw his father._

"_Father," he whispered. "Oakstripe."_

_His father blinked warmly at him with gentle amber eyes. "Son," he said with a smile. "I've been watching you…I'm very proud."_

"_I'm proud of you too," Tigerpaw replied, and then his eyes lit up. "Father! You didn't fail like you think you did. You saved that ShadowClan cat, and helped make peace for the Clan!"_

"_I know," Oakstripe said quietly. _

"_But…you said you failed. You said you died without honor," Tigerpaw said, feeling puzzled._

"_I did fail," Oakstripe said. "I failed to keep my promise to your mother; to live through the battle. To live for _you, _Tigerpaw. And I am sure my Clanmates would agree that I did not die with honor, out on the battlefield fighting with my Clan; I died for an enemy, not my Clanmates." He sighed quietly. "I wish I could have been there for you. Now, when you need me most."_

"_But I'm fine, now," Tigerpaw said. "Everything is fine, mostly. Gingerpaw's gone…everything's fine."_

_Oakstripe simply shook his head. "I wish I could tell you more," he said, his amber eyes dark with sadness. "But I know you'll make the right choice. You _must, _Tigerpaw. ThunderClan is counting on you."_

"_What do you mean?" Tigerpaw asked._

"Whispers of a dead foe give an old foe strength_," Oakstripe said. "_The river is not broken, nor is the wind. Secrets lie in shadows."

"_What does that mean?" Tigerpaw cried, but the forest was already being to fade._

"_Good luck, Tigerpaw," Oakstripe whispered. "It will be a long time before we meet again."_

"_Wait!" Tigerpaw cried, but it was no use. Everything was fading, until only the stars remained…._

Tigerpaw jolted awake and looked around wildly. Batpaw and Brightstar were already awake. Tigerpaw opened his mouth, but Brightstar flicked her tail at him.

"Your dreams are yours and yours alone," she mewed. "Only the leader and medicine cat share their dreams with each other. If StarClan spoke to you, it was for your ears only."

Tigerpaw closed his mouth and nodded. Brightstar glanced at Batpaw, and they padded out of the Moonstone together.

"What happened? Why did you get to go inside?" Lionpaw demanded.

"It is Tigerpaw's business, not yours," Brightstar said calmly. "Let us go home now."

**AN: So, last night I had an idea:**

**See, originally I intended for the Dark Forest story about Tigerstar to be an entirely separate story from TR. However, I got to thinking about it, and realized the Dark Forest story could be a **_**prequel **_**to this one, perhaps showing how Tigerstar got the chance to be reincarnated. What do ya guys think?**


	53. Chapter 51: Warriors

**AN:**

**Cinderpaw: Of course, silly goose. You can't have a prequel without finishing the original first. xD**

**Ginnystar: Thanks.**

**LittleSpark: I'll think about those, thank you! And thanks for the compliment, I'm glad you do! :D**

**Heatherflower: Spot on! As Lionpaw said, Tigerpaw became the Clan's "golden boy" after his little ShadowClan adventure, and Lionpaw is extremely jealous; he used to be the special little tom (toms are more prized in my Warriors world, since she-cats become queens and can no longer fight or protect the Clan) but after Tigerkit was born, things went downhill for him. Intuitive. :D**

**Warriors06: Oh, that's terrible! So sorry to hear that, friend. Hope those robbers get caught and put to justice!**

51

Tigerpaw was deep in thought about what his father had told him. It was obviously a prophecy of some sort…like the one Tigerstar had given him, although he hadn't realized it at the time. The first part had Tigerpaw completely bewildered – the only thing he could think of for a dead foe would be Gingerpaw, if she was really dead – but the second part was easy enough to decipher.

_The river is not broken_

RiverClan might be injured by ThunderClan's raid, but they wouldn't back down.

_nor is the wind._

WindClan was weakened by the sickness, but not yet beaten.

_Secrets lie in shadow._

ShadowClan was hiding something from the rest of the forest, or at least some sort of secret. _Is it about me? _Tigerpaw wondered. _It seems like it would have to be, or why else would Oakstripe tell me? Is something going to happen within the forest soon?_

It was a little past sunhigh as they neared the barn. They did rest for a short time, to catch mice and refuel themselves, before continuing on their way.

"What was it like when you and Foxpaw – Foxfire – came here together?" Whitepaw asked Tigerpaw curiously. Tigerpaw shrugged.

"It was about the same," he said, as they entered WindClan territory. "Only last time we were here, we were attacked by a WindClan patrol. But with WindClan so weak now, I doubt it will happen again."

"WindClan is not so weak that they cannot protect their own borders!" a voice hissed from nearby. The party turned, and blinked in surprise as several WindClan warriors padded forward, snarling. Brightstar tensed.

"We are coming back from Highstones," she growled. "You have no right to attack us."

"WindClan has closed off Highstones to all the Clans!" one warrior hissed. "You've betrayed us all!"

"You can't do that!" Lionpaw snarled, unsheathing his claws. Whitepaw seemed to shrink with fear, and Batpaw took a step in front of her, his own fur bristling.

"ThunderClan has the right to speak with our ancestors," Brightstar growled.

"You had better find a new way to do so, then," one warrior retorted. The, the leading warrior let out a furious battle cry, and the WindClan patrol surged forward.

Tigerpaw felt the blood-rage coming up on him from within. This time, he let it come gladly. Tigerpaw sprang into action, leaping at the WindClan warriors with his claws unsheathed. He moved as quickly as they did, ripping and tearing anything he could reach, twirling and diving to avoid their attacks. He could almost feel Tigerstar guiding his paws.

He let out a feral snarl, pinning a WindClan she-cat down. She twisted helplessly beneath him. He was about to slash her stomach when he paused, realizing her stomach was bulging. She was carrying kits. He gazed into her green eyes burning with hate, and realized this queen was Fernfrost. Abruptly, he stepped off of her and she turned and raced away, her bones obvious under her skin with every movement.

_They have to use their queens to fight, now? _Tigerpaw thought, feeling sickened at how he had almost killed unborn kits.

Brightstar had just chased off another cat, and both Lionpaw and Whitepaw were bleeding from several scratches. No one was badly injured though, when Batpaw checked everyone over.

"You did very well, Tigerpaw," Brightstar said, nodding to him. "You too Lionpaw, Whitepaw."

Whitepaw beamed, but Lionpaw looked furious.

"I hope they tell Swiftstar," he seethed. "I hope they tell him how we annihilated them!"

"Don't take pride in this victory," Whitepaw said, pressing her pelt against his. "They're sick, and starving, just struggling to protect their homeland."

Batpaw nodded slowly. "I wonder what Owlfeather is doing, to help," he said, his brow creased. "It seems like she should have found some sort of cure by now; she's experienced, and WindClan has plenty of herbs to find on their moors and in the more covered areas."

"StarClan will provide for them," Brightstar said simply, shaking her fur. Several clumps of fur that the WindClan warriors had sank their claws into floated to the ground. "Let's go."

* * *

As soon as they entered camp, Brightstar explained what had happened with WindClan. Cries of outrage and anger were heard, but others voiced concern for WindClan as well, Whitepaw among them.

Tigerpaw kept quiet about his dreams; Brightstar didn't mention that Tigerpaw had also touched the Moonstone and received dreams. Later, Brightstar went to talk to Batpaw, probably about their dreams. Tigerpaw padded towards Batpaw's den, intending to ask the medicine cat about his own dreams. However, as he neared, he heard something that made him stop entirely.

"They said, _A dead foe's whispers will give an old foe strength,_" Brightstar was saying to Batpaw quietly.

"I know," Batpaw said, "they told me the same thing. _The river is not broken, nor is the wind. Secrets lie in shadows."_

"I'm worried, Batpaw," Brightstar said in a heavy voice. "Very worried."

Silently, Tigerpaw crept away, his head abuzz with thoughts. _They had the same prophecy! _He thought excitedly. _Does that mean I'll be leader someday?_

The excitement stayed with him for the rest of the day, coming to a peak when Brightstar ascended the HighRock, looking regal even after the recent skirmish. She called ThunderClan to gather, and then began to speak.

"Tigerpaw, Lionpaw, Whitepaw," she said. "You are all nearing the end of your apprenticeships. I've spoken with your mentors, and they all agree on one thing; you're ready."

She turned to Snowflight. "Snowflight, do you believe Tigerpaw has trained hard enough to learn StarClan's noble code, and become a warrior?"

Snowflight nodded gravely. "I do."

"Tigerpaw, come forth," Brightstar ordered. Paws trembling with excitement and surprise, Tigerpaw did so.

"I, Brightstar, call StarClan to look down on this apprentice. He has trained for many moons and fought in many battles to learn your code and protect his Clan. I commend you to him as a warrior in his turn. Tigerpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and serve your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Tigerpaw nodded. "I do," he said.

"Then with the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. No longer will you be called Tigerpaw; now you are Tigerstripe, for both your striped pelt and for your noble father. ThunderClan welcomes you as a warrior. You will sit vigil tonight." The Clan readied to chant his name.

"However," Brightstar announced, "he will not be alone. Lionpaw, come up here."

She went through the warrior ceremony with Lionpaw as well. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" she asked.

"I do," Lionpaw rumbled, his eyes glowing as he received the honor he had so often craved.

"Then with the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. You are no longer Lionpaw; now you are Lionstorm, for your strength and courage. ThunderClan welcomes you as a warrior, and you will sit vigil tonight. And now, for our final warrior; Whitepaw, please come up here."

Whitepaw almost seemed to glow as she padded towards the HighRock, her face shining with pure joy. Brightstar went through the same ceremony with her, ending with,

"Then with the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. You are no longer Whitepaw; now you are Whitefeather, for your swiftness and grace. ThunderClan welcomes you as a warrior, and you will sit vigil tonight in silence with the others."

Whitefeather licked Brightstar's shoulder respectfully, and moved to sit down with Tigerstripe and Lionstorm.

"Whitefeather!" Batpaw said, beginning the warrior chant. The others took up the cry. "Whitefeather! Tigerstripe! Lionstorm!"

As the sun dipped down towards the horizon, Whitefeather whispered to Tigerstripe,

"I guess ApprenticeClan is barren, for the moment."

**AN: If you're reading this, then I've probably already done this, but I'm going to update the Alliances chapter again with the new characters and such. M'tay?**


	54. Chapter 52: Fernfrost's Pleading

**AN: Gaaah. I feel like a jerk; I didn't update at all yesterday even though I had plenty of time. Hopefully I can make up for it today….**

**Ginny: Thanks as usual. :D**

**Dawn Kalyani: Thanks, I try. :D**

**Cinderpaw: I wanna piggy!**

**Lynxeye: Thanks! I try to write plenty. :D And yup, he'll need an apprentice.**

**Ally: xD I kinda like Berrynose's name. It fits him for being a haughty cat, and paints an image of a bright, berry-pink nose in my head. That's just me, though….Tigerstripe will tell the new apprentices about it, since it will be his duty and such, as leader. As for the prophecy…maybe.**

**Heatherflower: You should know better by now; I can spoil anything for you! xD His name's gonna be hard to get, though. Bah. And I don't know if cats have eyebrows, exactly; I was thinking they sort of had those bumps above their eyes like dogs do. I'm not sure, but meh. Also, cats don't have collarbones so they cannot shrug, which I use sometimes, as do the Erins. I don't think teeny tiny details like that really matter, though.**

**Leopardtail: Thank you!**

**gg: The prophecy will come into play soon enough, no worries. ;)**

52

Tigerstripe, Whitefeather, and Lionstorm sat side-by-side on vigil, facing the camp entrance. They expected nothing to happen that night; most vigils passed without alarm. This time, they were wrong.

A rustle in the brush ahead was the only thing to warn them of the coming cats. The wind was blowing away from them, so it was impossible for their noses to catch the WindClan scent.

Hesitantly, a WindClan warrior appeared, slinking through the gorse tunnel. Tigerstripe stood, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. The warrior shrank back.

"Please," she whispered. "Please, I seek sanctuary here."

The new warriors glanced at each other uncertainly.

_The voice sounds familiar, _Tigerstripe thought, and peered at the WindClan warrior more closely. His eyes widened, as he realized it was Fernfrost.

"What are you doing here?" he growled.

"We aren't supposed to speak!" Whitefeather whispered. Lionstorm snorted.

"Aren't you doing a fabulous job of it?" he asked sarcastically.

"Please," Fernfrost said, her green eyes for once pleading instead of hateful. "You don't understand. My mate, Hawktalon…he died this evening. WindClan is falling apart, and my kits have no future…you took in that RiverClan queen. Will you take me in?"

"And have the same kit problems rise up again? No thank you!" Lionstorm hissed. "Now be a good WindClan wimp, and run back to your mangy Clan!"

Fernfrost said nothing, simply gazing at them pleadingly, and it was then Tigerstripe realized how desperate she truly was.

Whitefeather was silent, staring at the WindClan queen for a moment. "Wait here," she whispered, and slipped away. Tigerstripe wondered if she was going to alert Brightstar of the intruder, but instead she returned with Batpaw.

Batpaw bristled, recognizing the WindClan warrior they had fought earlier that day. Fernfrost didn't look good; her pelt was matted with dried blood, her bones stood out, and her fur was patchy.

"Why are you here?" he hissed.

"Please, you must take me in, if not for me but for my kits!" Fernfrost exclaimed. "Owlfeather died several days ago leaving Finchpaw in her place, but he is young and knows next to nothing! The Clan is sick and starving…we can't even fight off intruders. My mate is dead and my brother clings to life….He'll die too, we'll all die, and I can't let my kits die with WindClan!"

"Be quiet, or you'll be shredded," Batpaw hissed. "Waking up the entire camp won't help you, I assure you. Now, I suggest you leave; ThunderClan is not going to be forced into helping you."

"Wait, Batpaw," Whitefeather murmured. "Don't you have any sympathy? She's all alone, and pregnant…and we can't let WindClan die. They _will _die if we don't do something. Batpaw, it won't cost you anything if you tell them the cure."

"I'll be betraying ShadowClan if I did," Batpaw growled. Whitefeather turned her pleading golden eyes onto him, begging him silently. Batpaw looked away, the fur on the back of his neck prickling with discomfort.

"Fine, I'll do it," he grunted. He nodded to Fernfrost. "Tell Finchpaw to meet me at Fourtrees tomorrow. Alone."

Fernfrost hesitated. "Can I trust you?"

"You don't have a choice, do you?" Lionstorm growled.

Batpaw glanced at Whitefeather. "You can trust me. I'll be there."

"Thank you," Fernfrost whispered, before padding away silently. Batpaw sighed quietly.

"I'm going to sleep," he grunted. "No one tell anyone about this, understand? It won't do anyone good to hear about it."

The three new warriors nodded, and resumed their imposed silence, watching the sun rise.

* * *

"I can't believe he agreed!" Whitefeather whispered to Tigerstripe, as they were relieved of their duty.

Tigerstripe thought of Batpaw, and smiled. _And Silvermist thinks _toms _are like rocks, _he thought. He simply nodded though, not wanting to tell her; if Batpaw really liked her, he'd tell her when he was ready. Medicine cat mates were technically forbidden, but not by the warrior code; they weren't warriors, after all. However, it was considered taboo among the Clans.

Tigerstripe padded into the apprentice den for one last time, glancing around quickly before dragging out the scraggly remains of his nest. He would need a new one now; a new one in the warrior's den, where he would sleep with all of the other warriors.

Tigerstripe, Whitefeather, and Lionstorm all went to fetch moss together, before bringing it into the warrior's den to make their nests. Tigerstripe settled between Foxfire's nest and Whitefeather's. With this done, he settled down to sleep; after all, it had been a long night.

* * *

A lick on the ear woke Tigerstripe up. He blinked up at Whitefeather.

"Come on," she whispered. "Batpaw's leaving the camp now, and with tensions high with the other Clans and all, he doesn't want to be alone."

Privately, Tigerstripe thought Batpaw only wanted Whitefeather's company, and that he might be displeased with Tigerstripe tagging along. However, Tigerstripe did want to help, and so he stood and nodded, following Whitefeather out of the den. They met up with Batpaw and left the camp. Brightstar gave them a quick nod, probably thinking they were going to help Batpaw gather herbs.

"You were a medicine apprentice before we were even apprenticed, right?" Whitefeather asked as they left camp. Batpaw nodded.

"If I was still in ShadowClan, I'd be a medicine cat by now," he said, a bit of bitterness in his voice. "I just hope one of the kits becomes the next medicine cat apprentice…I want to go home." There was wistfulness in his voice as he spoke, and he sighed quietly, moving the packet of herbs he clutched in his mouth slightly as he spoke, careful not to drop anything.

They padded along together in silence, until Fourtrees came into view. Batpaw led the way, confident no one would try to hurt a medicine cat. Finchpaw, a small tabby tom, was waiting for them, with round, anxious eyes. Fernfrost was there too, and so was Falconclaw from before.

Batpaw nodded to Finchpaw, and dropped a packet of herbs. "You'll need to mix all of these," Batpaw explained to the younger apprentice, who nodded with round eyes. Batpaw then proceeded to explain the cure, naming plants that Tigerstripe had never heard of. Tigerstripe soon lost interest in the conversation, his eyes drifting around the clearing, settling on Fernfrost. She was listening intently and almost appeared relieved, the way her shoulders were relaxed. Maybe she was glimpsing the future, knowing that all would be well for her kits, thanks to Batpaw and ThunderClan. Tigerstripe glanced at Whitefeather, who was also listening closely, a slight smile curling her muzzle as she watched Batpaw. For a moment, Tigerstripe felt a pang of loss, remembering when she had looked at him that way, although he hadn't known what it meant at the time. He pushed the feeling away firmly; it would do no good to dwell upon what might have been, and somehow he felt Batpaw would be a better batch for Whitefeather than he could ever be.

**AN: So sorry this took so long, but FF uploading has been down all day. I found out you can work around it by taking the text out of another document and pasting the new one in to make a chapter, so I'm gonna try it. Sorry guys, hope you aren't going through withdrawal! **


	55. Chapter 53: ApprenticeClan's New Leader

53

Batpaw went over the ingredients to the mixture that would cure WindClan of its illness three times before Finchpaw was completely sure he could reproduce it. Finchpaw picked up the packet of herbs after giving Batpaw a heartfelt thanks. Then, the WindClan cats disappeared, moving back towards their camp.

Batpaw let out a satisfied sigh. "He'll do well, I think," Batpaw said, nodding to Whitefeather and Tigerstripe. "He's not the quickest learner, but he is a persistent one. He'll have to find a tutor, though; usually a cat from another Clan will tutor a medicine cat apprentice if there is no one else to do so. But I'm stuck here, Shadefur won't do it because of ShadowClan's feelings towards them at the moment, and I doubt RiverClan will lift a paw to help anyone these days. WindClan is going to have a bad time of it, unless StarClan helps him." Batpaw stood. "Let's go. I don't want to be missed."

The three cats set off towards camp, with Whitefeather falling into step beside Batpaw, leaving Tigerstripe taking up the rear of the group. His eyes darted around constantly, and for some reason he felt on edge. The prophecy had shaken him, certainly; who were the foes ThunderClan was supposed to watch for? It seemed RiverClan was most likely, but Tigerstripe wasn't certain. Oakstripe had made it sound as if something more sinister was coming about.

When they returned to camp, Whitefeather and Batpaw shared a mouse. Tigerstripe looked for someone to share tongues with; he felt a bit lonely. He spotted Foxfire taking a nap in the sunshine.

"Foxstar," he called, and Foxfire awoke, blinking sleepily. She saw him and smiled, getting to her paws and padding to his side.

"You don't have to call me that anymore, furball," she purred, rubbing her ginger pelt against his. Again, Tigerstripe felt the emotions warring within him. Half of him wanted to invite her to share a vole, the other half wanted to sink his claws into her flesh….

Tigerstripe shook himself. "I know," he said, and sat down, nudging a vole towards her with one paw. "Want to eat with me?"

Foxfire smiled at him, her green eyes bright. "Sure."

As they ate and swapped news about the Clan, Brightstar appeared on the HighRock, and called the Clan together for a meeting. Tigerstripe looked on with interest as Silvermist stepped out of the nursery.

"Your kits are of apprenticing age, Silvermist," Brightstar said, blinking down at her. "They no longer depend on you, which brings you to your choice; where will you go from here? None of the Clans will take you, and RiverClan still harbors ill feeling towards you; it might be wisest for you to leave the forest. Or, you could stay here with ThunderClan; I think we all would agree that we would love to have you as a Clanmate."

Silvermist hesitated, and her blue eyes darkened slightly. "Brightstar, I feel almost as at home here as I did in RiverClan," she said finally, raising her chin proudly. "The trouble with RiverClan is my own doing, I feel, and I could never forgive myself if I left ThunderClan now. I wish to stay, and I wish to become a ThunderClan cat."

"What do you say, ThunderClan?" Brightstar asked, turning to the gathered cats. "Will Silvermist join us?"

"Yes!" Tigerstripe cried, and Silvermist smiled at him. "I would be glad to have her fight at my side, and I don't know why anyone wouldn't."

"Me too," Foxfire spoke up. "She's a great cat and a fine mother, and I think Stormkit and Creek-kit could learn plenty from one so brave. We all could."

"She gave up everything to protect her kits before they were even born," Snowflight said. "That takes courage, in my opinion."

"Then she gave up two of her kits to spare ThunderClan," Firestorm agreed. "She is a strong, loyal cat."

Other cats voiced their approval, and finally Brightstar smiled. "The Clan has spoken," she told Silvermist. "With StarClan as my witness you, Silvermist, are now a ThunderClan cat."

Cheers broke out, most notably from Tigerstripe. Brightstar waited a moment, and then signaled for silence. "This brings me to my next point," she continued. "Stormkit, Creek-kit, will you please come forward?"

The two kits approached the HighRock, both walking calmly, without any rush or anxiety apparent.

"Stormkit, you are now six moons old, and able to be apprenticed," Brightstar said. "Do you promise to work and train hard to learn StarClan's noble code?"

"I do," Stormkit rumbled.

"Then, from this day forward until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw." Brightstar glanced downward. "Badgerstripe, you have been a warrior for several moons now, and I think it is time you got an apprentice. You will mentor Stormpaw, and I trust you will pass on your loyalty and courage to him."

Badgerstripe nodded and stepped forward to touch noses with Stormpaw, before they stepped back together to allow Creek-kit to come forward. Birchpelt was named as Creekpaw's mentor, and Brightstar ended the ceremony.

"Come on," Foxfire whispered as the new apprentices padded into the apprentice den to create their nests. "We have to tell them about ApprenticeClan."

Tigerstripe nodded and the two of them padded into the apprentice den.

"What do you want?" Stormpaw asked bluntly.

"Earlier this moon I was an apprentice, like you," Tigerstripe said. "However, I was also the leader of ApprenticeClan."

"What's that?" Creekpaw asked, curious despite herself.

"It's like a miniature Clan, within the apprentice den," Foxfire explained. "You hold ceremonies, and stuff. It's like experience for being a warrior or a leader later. It's been passed down through the Clan for generations!"

"I want to be leader!" Creekpaw exclaimed.

"I was apprenticed first!" Stormpaw argued. "I should be leader!"

"Tigerstripe will decide, since he was leader last," Foxfire said sternly, and turned to Tigerstripe.

"Well?" Stormpaw demanded. Tigerstripe hesitated, looking from apprentice to apprentice. Finally, he said,

"Creekpaw, you will be the next leader of ApprenticeClan."Creekpaw's face lit up, but Stormpaw looked surly.

"I, Tigerstar, former leader of ApprenticeClan, ask StarClan to look down upon Creekpaw," Tigerstripe said, making up the words as he went, "and give her the strength she will need for the duty I have chosen for her. Creekpaw, you will be Creekstar, the next leader of ApprenticeClan."

Creekpaw glowed with pleasure, and then nodded to Stormpaw. "You can be my deputy," she purred.

"Fine," Stormpaw glowered, and blinked at Tigerstripe. "What's my name, then?"

"Stormclaw," Tigerstripe decided. "You will be Stormclaw, deputy of ApprenticeClan."

"Whatever," Stormpaw grunted. "Can you go now?"

Tigerstripe and Foxfire glanced at each other, before leaving the den.

"I think you chose right," Foxfire whispered. "Stormpaw's too grumpy to be a good leader, eh?"

Tigerstripe shrugged. "Creekpaw's pretty bossy herself," was all he said.


	56. Chapter 54: Blackheart's Guilt

**AN: If all goes well (please God let all go well!) you should be pleased to receive two chapters today, at once! Hope that makes up for yesterday. I'll try to crank out a third before I go to bed (this chapter, if you're wondering. I write my AN before I finish the actual writing of the chapter. Sometimes I go back and edit this, depending on if I get any new reviews or not. ;)**

**Phew! Looks like it worked, cuz I got reviews! Yaaay!**

**Cinder: I didn't try anything yesterday, I was being lazy. D: But I found out that you can mess around with old documents and work around it. You had piggy?! And yay, Bat x White. *pats Minnow***

54

Several days passed, and the Gathering approached once more. Tigerstripe was anxious to go, not only because he was a new warrior, but also so that he could see how WindClan was holding up, talk with Blackheart if she was there, and see how things were going within RiverClan, too. When Brightstar announced that all of the new warriors (Foxfire, Lionstorm, Whitefeather, and Tigerstripe) were going, he was ecstatic. Stormpaw and Creekpaw were also coming, and they were obviously hoping to see their sisters. Tigerstripe was, too; he was wondering how Minnowkit – Minnowpaw now, perhaps? – was holding up.

Finally, the night arrived, and the ThunderClan cats, led by Brightstar, approached Fourtrees. RiverClan and ShadowClan were both present, and Tigerstripe searched anxiously for Blackheart atop the slope, finding her as they drew closer. Immediately when ThunderClan split up to speak with the other Clans, he headed for Blackheart.

"Blackheart!" he cried, padding toward her quickly. "How are you? How are the kits?"

"They're healthy and strong," Blackheart purred, glancing him over. "As are you, it appears, Tigerpaw."

"I'm Tigerstripe now," he informed her, "named after my father."

Blackheart's eyes widened at his words. "Y-you're father?" she stammered. "Oakstripe was your father?"

Tigerstripe blinked, and then nodded. "Yes."

Blackheart peered at him intently. "How did I not notice the resemblance before?" she murmured. "You look almost exactly like him…."

"Did you know him?" Tigerstripe asked.

"You could say that," Blackheart said. "He saved my life."

An idea nudged Tigerstripe's mind, but it was too outlandish for him to even consider it. "He did? How?"

"He died on the Thunderpath," Blackheart said softly, "he died pushing me out of the way."

Tigerstripe's outlandish idea had been correct, and he reeled from the shock of it. His father had died saving Blackheart? _She was a favorite of Darkstar's, _he remembered Brightstar saying. It all made sense. No wonder ShadowClan had been kind; his father had died saving their deputy!

"I wasn't deputy at the time, but our deputy died soon after that battle," Blackheart said softly, "and although I was injured at the time, I was chosen. The guilt I felt after that….It's worse now. I took your father away from you." Her eyes were round with sorrow.

"No, no you didn't," Tigerstripe said. "It was his choice. And he's watching over me now in StarClan, waiting for me. I have…er, I mean I will see him later, when I join StarClan too. And if he hadn't died, we might still be at war right now. ShadowClan would have killed me when I was on their territory, inflaming the war even further…." He shuddered. Blackheart smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"You're right," she said, and then shook her head. "I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner." She sighed quietly. "I don't think your mother knows that he died saving me," she said, "and don't tell her, please. Brightstar knows and if she's decided to keep it a secret, it must be for some reason." Tigerstripe nodded, and then turned as WindClan's scent drifted into his nose. His eyes widened as he saw them, surprised at how much better they looked. Their fur was still a bit mangy and they were still very thin, but their eyes burned with a new confidence. Tigerstripe's heart glowed in his chest. ThunderClan had done the right thing to help them.

Soon after Swiftstar and the others arrived, the Gathering began. Brightstar was the first to speak.

"This past moon has been a busy one for ThunderClan," she mewed. "Foxfire, Lionstorm, Whitefeather, and Tigerstripe are all warriors now, and we are glad to have them with us tonight. Also joining us for the first time are Stormpaw and Creekpaw, Silvermist's kits. Silvermist has agreed to stay with ThunderClan. She is now one of us."

Streamstar's eyes narrowed at Brightstar's words but she said nothing for the moment, letting Brightstar speak. Darkstar spoke as well, of ordinary things, before Streamstar quickly stepped forward.

"RiverClan also has new apprentices," she growled. "However, Minnowpaw and Swiftpaw could not be with us here tonight."

Tigerstripe sighed quietly at her words. They were truly RiverClan cats now, if they had been apprenticed. He just wished they could have been here tonight; he really wanted to see them.

Streamstar continued speaking about how strong RiverClan was, until she finally ran out of great things to say and stepped back. Swiftstar was the last to speak, but his eyes burned with pride.

"The sickness is gone from WindClan," Swiftstar announced. "Thanks to ThunderClan's help, we have eradicated the illness that killed so many. WindClan is rebuilding itself now, and we already have newborns; Fernfrost's kits were recently born. There are three kits, all of which are healthy."

"_ThunderClan's _help?" Darkstar asked. "What is the meaning of this, Brightstar?" His pelt was bristling slightly as he turned to the ThunderClan leader. Tigerstripe was confused for a moment, before remembering how WindClan had accused ShadowClan of bringing the infected rat to their territory.

Brightstar also looked surprised, but simply said, "it is all of our duties to ensure that no Clan is destroyed."

Darkstar's eyes narrowed. "We had an alliance," he growled, "and you sided with our enemies."

Tigerstripe's pelt prickled with discomfort, sure that the rising tensions would end in a battle. However, Darkstar simply let out a quiet growl and sat down, wrapping his tail around his paws.

"WindClan has already attacked several of our patrols this moon," he said, glancing at Swiftstar.

"Because you poisoned our Clan!" Swiftstar protested.

"ShadowClan did no such thing!" Darkstar roared, and his eyes burned.

"Swiftstar, the Clans have gone over this before! There is no proof any of this was ShadowClan's doing," Brightstar said, stepping in between the two toms. "Both of you, calm yourselves. This is a time of peace, a time for the Clans to share together."

Streamstar was simply watching them, looking almost satisfied with all of the conflict between the Clans. _Clans fighting means that they are weaker, and RiverClan becomes that much stronger, _Tigerstripe realized, and his eyes narrowed with dislike. _She doesn't care if the Clans destroy each other, so long as RiverClan preserves._

"Now, I believe we have shared all of our news?" Brightstar asked. The other leaders nodded. "I think this Gathering is over, then," Brightstar said, descending from the Great Rock with grace. The other Clans followed suite, and ThunderClan stood to follow their leader.

"Bye," Tigerstripe said quickly to Blackheart, before hurrying to catch up with the rest of his Clan. He fell into step beside Foxfire.

"There'll be trouble after this," she said, her green eyes bright with worry. "WindClan is a bit fonder of us now, but ShadowClan certainly isn't."

"The alliance will hold," Tigerstripe said, trying to be assuring. Foxfire simply nodded, but said nothing more as they entered camp.

**AN: "Secrets lie in shadows" indeed.**


	57. Chapter 55: Swiftpaw

**AN:**

**Ginny: Thanks. Stewing ideas? Cool.**

55

Tigerstripe was relaxing in camp the next day, letting the sun warm his pelt as he nibbled on a thrush, when suddenly there was a collective gasp from the Clan. Tigerstripe looked up just in time to see a bloody Birchpelt stumbling into the clearing.

"S…Sunningrocks," he gasped, before collapsing onto the ground. Immediately Batpaw was at his side, checking him over. Brightstar came out of her den, a furious look on her face.

"Tigerstripe! Viperfang! Badgerstripe! Lionstorm! Duskclaw! Stormpaw! Creekpaw!" she growled. "Come!"

Tigerstripe stood and hurried forward, following his leader out of camp with the other warriors. As they neared Sunningrocks, the stench of blood mixed with RiverClan scent threatened to overwhelm them. Brightstar let out a furious hiss as she saw two ThunderClan warriors lying on the bank, motionless. "Stormpaw, Creekpaw, take them back to camp," Brightstar growled. "Make sure Batpaw tends to them as well."

Stormpaw and Creekpaw both nodded and padded down the bank. Tigerstripe was surprised to see real fear in Stormpaw's amber eyes.

"Let's go," Brightstar hissed, stalking towards the stepping stones. "I've had enough of this from RiverClan."

The warriors followed her over, and as they neared camp, they heard Streamstar yowled to the Clan about RiverClan's victory.

"Streamstar!" Brightstar hissed, padding into the camp. Streamstar stopped mid-word, her jaw hanging open with surprise. RiverClan cats sprang to their paws and hissed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Brightstar thundered. "Again, you attack us? ThunderClan will have no more of this! ThunderClan, attack!"

Tigerstripe's eyes widened at his leader's order, but as he saw the other ThunderClan warriors springing at RiverClan cats, he obeyed, launching himself into the fray. He landed on the back of a pale gray tom, slicing and spitting, ripping the tom's ear. The tom struggled to claw Tigerstripe, and then reared back, intending to crush him against the ground. Tigerstripe sprang off of him, the blood pounding in his ears. There was a thump as the RiverClan tom hit the ground, and Tigerstripe was on top of him, ripping at his stomach. The tom let out a yowl of pain and raced off as Tigerstripe let him up. Tigerstripe panted, feeling the blood-lust rise within him. He gave himself to it, allow it to control his actions as he slashed at RiverClan warriors. He recognized Splashpelt's calico coat, but it appeared she was already grappling with Lionstorm, and losing. He turned his attention towards Brightstar, just as a fierce blow hit him in the back, knocking him to the ground. He turned, snarling in the face of a RiverClan apprentice. Her gray-and-white fur made him pause for a moment – Minnowpaw? – but it only allowed the RiverClan apprentice time to strike him again. He grappled with her for a moment, trying to figure out if this really was Minnowpaw. If only he could see her eyes….

"Swiftpaw!" someone cried, and the cat on top of Tigerstripe turned, allowing Tigerstripe to kick her off.

"What are you doing?" a gray and white she-cat whispered, running towards Swiftpaw.

"Minnowpaw!" Tigerstripe cried, recognizing her.

"Protecting RiverClan, what do you think?" the apprentice who had attacked Tigerstripe spat. "He's an enemy!"

"Swiftpaw, don't you remember? That's Tigerpaw!" Minnowpaw said, turning to Tigerstripe. "He's our friend."

"He's ThunderClan! He's an enemy!" Swiftpaw hissed, her eyes wild. She prepared to spring. Minnowpaw looked torn for a moment, trying to decide where her loyalties lied; with RiverClan, or ThunderClan? Tigerstripe was finding himself hesitant to attack Swiftpaw as well. He couldn't believe the sweet, quiet kit he had known had turned into this ferocious cat who was willing to attack her former "Unke".

Just then, Streamstar's yowl rang over the camp. The RiverClan warriors paused, some mid-swipe, to turn and look at her. Streamstar was no longer a pretty sight; one side of her coat was matted with blood, and her left ear was torn.

"RiverClan surrenders," Streamstar hissed, her eyes burning with fury.

"RiverClan won't be getting off that easily," Brightstar snarled, advancing. ThunderClan's leader was comparably cleaner, with only a few wounds on her shoulder that seemed shallow enough. "RiverClan must promise to never step a foot on Sunningrocks again!"

Streamstar's eyes burned with pride, and Tigerstripe knew how much it cost her to dip her head in acknowledgement.

"And one more thing," Brightstar said, turning her head towards Swiftpaw and Minnowpaw. "Silvermist wants her kits back."

Minnowpaw's face lit up at her words, but Swiftpaw seemed to grow angrier.

"No, she doesn't!" Swiftpaw yowled. "She didn't love us! If she had, she wouldn't have given us away!"

"Silvermist did what she thought was right," Brightstar growled. "Streamstar wouldn't have done any better.

"RiverClan is my home now! I'm not leaving!" Swiftpaw declared. Tigerstripe's eyes widened at the hatred and pain in her voice. Had Silvermist really hurt her that deeply?

All eyes turned to Minnowpaw, and she seemed to almost shrink under their gaze.

"I-I want to go," she whispered. "I want to go home."

Streamstar's eyes narrowed. "Fine, traitor," Streamstar spat. "Crawl home to ThunderClan where you belong."

Minnowpaw shot a pleading glance in Swiftpaw's direction, but Swiftpaw was glaring at her sister.

"Traitor," she hissed, echoing Streamstar's words. Minnowpaw looked down at her paws for a moment. When she looked back up, her eyes were bright.

"I'm no traitor!" she yowled up at Streamstar. "I'm loyal to ThunderClan. I was born there. I belong there. The only traitor here is you!" She flung her last statement at her sister, before padding to stand beside Tigerstripe. She licked his shoulder where Swiftpaw had cut him.

"Our business is concluded," Brightstar said stiffly. With another glare at Streamstar, she flicked her tail and led her warriors home.

* * *

It was a hollow victory. They had gained Minnowpaw, but they had also gained the hatred of RiverClan. Not only that, but Birchpelt later died of his wounds, and Tigerstripe later came to realize that his mother had been one of the two injured ThunderClan warriors near Sunningrocks, along with Blackstream. He visited her whenever he could, and almost neglected Minnowpaw because of it. Creekpaw welcomed her sister back immediately, but Stormpaw seemed almost suspicious of her. The rest of the Clan appeared to feel the same way; some cats were glad and greeted her, but others refused to acknowledge her, thinking of her as a RiverClan cat, rather than a ThunderClan one. Minnowpaw was quiet, much quieter than she had been before, and she seemed lost in thought almost all the time. Tigerstripe felt a pang when he thought of Swiftpaw, and he knew just how much Minnowpaw must miss her sister, her only ally in RiverClan.

Silvermist and Minnowpaw were reunited. Minnowpaw buried her face in her mother's fur, shaking with grief, while Silvermist groomed her as if she was a kit again.

Dapplefur and Blackstorm recovered quickly over the next half moon. The Clan mourned Birchpelt, and his family – not only had Patchpelt, Badgerstripe, and Blackstream lost their mother, but they lost their brother the same year. ThunderClan seemed somehow confused, as leaf-bare neared; shaken, somehow, by Swiftpaw's treachery and their own weakening alliance. As the chill of the deadliest season neared, no cat felt safe.

**AN: The story's getting a little darker, now. Even when Cinderfur died, it was all fun and games; no one liked her anyway. Whitepaw was threatened but always made it out okay, and once Gingerpaw was vanquished, everything seemed fine. Now, however, the cracks are beginning to show. For once, things haven't been fixed with a simple battle; Birchpelt is dead, Tigerstripe's mother is injured, and Silvermist's family remains torn. Minnowpaw is home, but treated like an outsider, and Swiftpaw wants nothing to do with her family. We're getting into darker territory, and we're getting closer to the end.**


	58. Chapter 56: Snow Days

**AN: *purrs* Reviews make the world go round.**

**Heatherflower: Maybe, although the "secrets" could also be referring to the simply secret of who Oakstripe died for/how he died. Only a few cats know that, remember. Fernfrost's kits prolly won't be mentioned (sorry) because…I just don't like her. D:**

**Ally: *hugs Minnowpaw plushie* Yep, all of that stuff is good. (Well, BatxWhite is debatable, but….) In Streamstar's eyes, Minnowpaw was a traitor, since she betrayed RiverClan, although Streamstar ignores the fact that they basically kidnapped Minnowpaw in the first place. Dark…wet…side? xD**

**EeveeCelebi: Yep, things are beginning to go badly for everyone, it seems. And thank you.**

**Warriorluver: Orly? Your favorite? She doesn't have much airtime yet, but she will soon, so yay.**

**Cinderpaw: If you get a duck, I want a llama! 0.o And of course I couldn't leave poor loverly Minnowpaw out there in the cold. *hugs plushie again* Stupid Swiftpaw. **

56

Tigerstripe shivered in the morning light, and resisted the urge to lick his fur; it would only make him colder. He had been chosen to sit vigil for the night, the most hated duty of any warrior.

"Good morning," he heard someone purr behind him. He turned, and nodded to Foxfire.

"It was cold last night, eh?" Foxfire asked, and curled up around him. "Let me warm you up."

Tigerstripe felt his face heat up under his dark fur as he blushed. Still, he didn't move away; she was warm and he was terribly cold.

"I wonder when Minnowpaw will get a mentor," Foxfire said, glancing at the apprentice den. "I guess Brightstar's just been waiting to make sure Minnowpaw really wants to live here, or something, but if she doesn't get one soon, she'll fall behind."

Tigerstripe simply nodded, and Foxfire nipped his ear. "You could at least talk to me," she said, nipping him again playfully. She got to her paws.

"Come on. Let's go on a hunting patrol. Want to?"

Tigerstripe nodded quickly, and got to his paws. They were heading for the gorse tunnel, when a quiet voice surprised them,

"Can I come too?"

It was Minnowpaw, standing at the entrance to the apprentice den. Her blue eyes were dark and sad; even after Swiftpaw's betrayal, she missed her sister. Foxfire's eyes gentled.

"Of course," she said, and glanced at Tigerstripe quickly. He nodded. Minnowpaw padded beside them, and Foxfire put her tail on the young apprentice's shoulders.

_She knows what is it like to be betrayed by your sister, _Tigerstripe thought sadly.

They padded through the forest, scenting the air, but it appeared there was no prey out and about. It was a bit unusual for them to be gone so early in the season, but perhaps they knew something the cats did not.

Tigerstripe led them to the stream near Fourtrees, and peered into it. The fish were still active, at least, darting around quickly here and there.

"Here, I'll give you a lesson," Tigerstripe offered to Minnowpaw. Her whiskers twitched as if with amusement, but she said nothing.

Tigerstripe dipped his paw down into the water, becoming motionless for a moment. The water felt like ice, but it worked; a silver fish drifted close to him. Tigerstripe darted at it with his paw, trying to catch it, but the fish slipped away.

"Rats," Tigerstripe grunted. Minnowpaw peered over the side, looking curious. Then, as quick as a flash, she speared the fish that Tigerstripe had tried to catch, and flipped it up onto the bank. She laughed at Tigerstripe's astonished face.

"Did you forget which Clan I have been at for the last several moons?" she asked. Foxfire was laughing too.

"You should have seen your face, Tigerstripe," she purred, giving him a nudge. Tigerstripe simply smiled, glad that Minnowpaw was happy again, for once.

Tigerstripe tried again and managed to catch another fish. Foxfire was hopeless at fishing, nearly falling into the stream when she tried to catch a larger fish, and so she said she'd find a mouse on the way back. Tigerstripe and Minnowpaw picked up their fish and began padding back to camp. Tigerstripe and Foxfire chatted on the way back, while Minnowpaw walked behind them. Suddenly, Minnowpaw let out a gasp. Tigerstripe turned around in time to see something white disappear on Minnowpaw's nose. Tigerstripe blinked, and looked up at the sky. Tiny white flakes were falling down from the sky, landing on the ground and quickly disappearing.

"What is it?" Minnowpaw breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Snow," Foxfire said reverently. "I remember from when I was a tiny kit…no wonder all of the prey was hidden."

"Why would they hide from this?" Tigerstripe asked, watching as Minnowpaw caught a snowflake with her tongue.

"It looks innocent now, but it piles up eventually," Foxfire explained, "sometimes in bad weather it can pile up higher than your head! It makes food hard to find for everyone, and small animals like shrews and voles freeze easily." She frowned. "It doesn't usually snow this early, though. There could be tough times ahead."

Tigerstripe simply nodded, but watching Minnowpaw enjoy herself, catching snowflakes between her paws and in her mouth, he didn't feel like these innocent flakes could ever be trouble.

* * *

He was quickly proven wrong. The next day when he awoke, there was snow piled high on the side of the warrior's den, blocking the sunlight out. Since the new warriors were closest to the den, they had to dig their way out. At first, Tigerstripe thought the snow-covered camp was beautiful. However, after a day of slogging through snow trying to catch hidden prey, he was fed up with it. The apprentices thought it was marvelous, though, as they played and tumbled in it. Even Stormpaw looked a little silly, when Creekpaw tackled him and he came back up with snow piled on his head.

Batpaw grumbled about the snow the entire dead. "My herb storage is going to be depleted very rapidly with this confounded snow!" he swore, kicking some of it up with his paw. "How am I supposed to find catmint, hmm? Or berries? Most of the precious leaves will be frozen now and die, and they're no good to me like that!"

Whitefeather snuck up behind him, and tackled him, making Batpaw do a face-plant in the snow. He came up sputtering, the snow caked onto his face so much that he almost looked white.

"Lighten up, furball!" Whitefeather said cheerily. Batpaw let out a mock growl and sprang at her, and the two of them wrestled in the snow.

"Minnowpaw," Tigerstripe called, seeing Minnowpaw watched her siblings play. "Why don't you go check on the elders? Stubtail's joints are sure to be aching, and if they're cold, they'll need more moss."

Minnowpaw nodded eagerly, and padded through the snow towards the elder's den. Tigerstripe smiled, happy to see her so glad to help. A voice behind him startled him, and he turned.

"It's just me, Tigerstripe," Brightstar said with a chuckle. "No need to look so surprised. Please, follow me. Need to speak with you."

Tigerstripe followed Brightstar into her den.

"Now, you're close with Minnowpaw, correct?" Brightstar asked, looking at him intently. "You've been taking care of her?"

Tigerstripe nodded. "I've been keeping her company, letting her play a bit to take Swiftpaw off of her mind," he replied. "I tried teaching her how to fish, but she can fish better than I can."

Brightstar laughed quietly again, and smiled at him. "I expected no less from you. Now, I know you are still a young warrior, but I believe that you would be the best mentor for Minnowpaw right now. She needs a friend, a mentor she can depend on to take care of her, and seeing you two together I think you might be the right mentor for her. Would you like that?"

"Would I!" Tigerstripe exclaimed. "Honestly, I was hoping ever since she was a kit that I would get to mentor her somehow. Brightstar, I'm honored."

Brightstar nodded, her eyes bright. "You can go back to your game now," she said with a slight purr. Tigerstripe blushed, aware that new warriors weren't supposed to be playing simple snow games.

"I'll go hunting," he offered, padding out of the den.

"What did Brightstar want?" Foxfire asked as Tigerstripe padded up to her.

"She wants me to mentor Minnowpaw!" Tigerstripe said excitedly.

"Great," Foxfire said, but she didn't sound as enthusiastic as Tigerstripe had hoped.

"What's wrong?" Tigerstripe asked. Foxfire's eyes dropped to her paws.

"Don't worry about it, Tigerstripe," she said.

"Come on, Foxstar," Tigerstripe coaxed. Foxfire rolled her eyes.

"Fine. I was just hoping I would get to mentor her, alright? She was cute when she was a kit, and I think I'm friends with her now…and I'm an older warrior compared to you and I just want an apprentice of my own." She sighed quietly. "I'm not mad at you though, Tigerstripe. I'll get my own apprentice someday, I guess."

Tigerstripe frowned. "If you really want her, I'm sure I could ask Brightstar," he began, but Foxfire waved him away with her tail.

"Don't worry about it," she said, and flashed him a grin. "I'm happy for you. I'll just have to wait for my own apprentice, is all."

**AN: *coughs quietly* So, er, things aren't as dark as I made them seem in the last chapter. What can I say? There's snow here, and I'm in a good mood. We'll get back to darkness eventually, don't worry. xD**


	59. Chapter 57: Secrets

**AN: I R REVIEW MACHINE.**

**Seriously, you guys review a lot. .**

**PinkRhinos: New reader, eh? Yay!**

**EeveeCelebi: It's fine. xD You can call him Unke, he can't hear you. ;)**

**Lynxeye: I type like the wind. xD And yup, the new series cling on to their lil TC-clone-cats. Bah. **

**Heatherflower: Good, because I was wondering what a BatxWhite plushie might entail. 0.o Snow cat? xD**

**Rubyblaze: Yum.**

**Ally: Yeah. It's okay. xD**

**Cinderpaw: Indeed. If you get another duck…I get Warriors's alpaca! *purr* Silly Foxy. Silly rock-tom.**

**Ginny: Yuppers.**

**Warriors06: You were right about what? xD**

57

Later that day, Brightstar sprang atop the HighRock.

"Minnowpaw, come up here please," she mewed. Minnowpaw blinked, and looked relieved; she would finally be getting a mentor. She padded toward the HighRock, and paused to wait.

"Minnowpaw, you have been through much the last few moons," Brightstar said, "and ThunderClan is proud to have you among us. Now, we feel it is finally time to give you a mentor. Tigerstripe, come up here please. Tigerstripe, you were close to Minnowpaw even when she was a kit, and because of these troubled times, I am sure that you would be the best cat to mentor and comfort her. Tigerstripe, you will be Minnowpaw's mentor, and I hope you will pass your loyalty and love of your Clan down to her."

Tigerstripe touched noses with Minnowpaw, feeling his pelt ripple with excitement. He was a mentor! She was his to train!

Minnowpaw grinned up at him. "Best mentor ever," she whispered. Tigerstripe's heart glowed with pride, and he nodded, as the two of them turned to sit down together. Brightstar ended the meeting.

"Congratulations!" Whitefeather exclaimed, walking towards him with her brother. Lionstorm looked disgruntled, and his amber eyes flashed angrily.

"Why did you get an apprentice and we didn't?" Lionstorm asked bluntly.

"Brightstar thought I'd be the best choice," Tigerstripe said with a shrug. "Minnowpaw needed support, and I've known her since she was born."

Whitefeather nodded, but Lionstorm was shaking his head with disgust as he stalked away.

Stormpaw and Creekpaw congratulated their sister as well, and so did Foxfire. She seemed to be over her disappointment, for she positively beamed at Tigerstripe.

"I want to see the territory," Minnowpaw said eagerly. "All of it!"

"It will look different in the snow," Tigerstripe warned.

"It will look more beautiful in the snow, you mean," Foxfire said, with a smile. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Of course not," Minnowpaw said with a smile.

They all padded out of camp together.

* * *

Tigerstripe showed Minnowpaw everything, from the Owl Tree to Snakerocks, to the falls, to Fourtrees. He couldn't pull the old owl-pellet-under-the-leaves trick that almost every mentor used at least once because of the snow, but he compensated by showing her how to catch a mouse.

Tigerstripe had buried the mouse and was listening keenly for what he thought to be a vole, while Minnowpaw watched. Suddenly, Minnowpaw reared on her hind legs and grabbed the tree branch above him in her mouth, pulling it down and letting it go, sending a shower of snow down to bury her mentor. Tigerstripe struggled under the snow, until his head burst out of the little mound. Minnowpaw and Foxfire were both laughing at the expression on his face, Foxfire laughing so hard she looked as if she was about to collapse. Tigerstripe felt anger building up inside him. How dare Minnowpaw make him look like a fool, especially in front of another warrior! He was supposed to be her mentor! A memory flashed through him, of a catcalled Ravenpaw; his apprentice, he remembered. Ravenpaw had been a mousy, weak coward; the very thought made Tigerstripe burn with anger. Minnowpaw wasno better, with this new disrespect.

He shook the snow from his shoulders, letting out a low growl. Minnowpaw stopped laughing, and almost looked frightened.

"Why did you do that?" Tigerstripe hissed. Minnowpaw seemed to shrink under his gaze.

"I-I just thought it would be funny," she stammered.

"Well, it wasn't," Tigerstripe hissed. Foxfire's eyes narrowed.

"It was just a joke," she said. "Relax." She nudged Minnowpaw with her shoulder gently, and shot Tigerstripe an angry glance. Tigerstripe's pelt prickled.

"I scent something over there," he said bluntly, and stalked away from them, giving him time to cool down. He returned some time later, only to find that Firefox and Minnowpaw had gone back to camp already. The anger flashed up inside of him again, but he took a deep breath, controlling it. He couldn't let it overwhelm him; Minnowpaw had been having a bit of fun, that was all. She hadn't meant any harm.

He padded back to camp, only to be cornered by Foxfire.

"We need to talk," she said, and led him out of camp again, onl to turn on him.

"Why were you so mean to Minnowpaw?" she demanded. "She gave up Swiftpaw to be a part of ThunderClan again. She was given away by her mother, and has seen her for the first time since she was a kit; doesn't that mean she gets a bit of slack?"

Tigerstripe realized suddenly that he wanted to tell her, to spill everything to her. Everything that had been happening – the hatred he felt towards her sometimes when he saw her, the rage that came upon him during battle, and now these sudden flashes of anger at the slightest things. He was quickly become afraid…of himself.

"Well?" Foxfire demanded. Tigerstripe looked at his paws.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he said quietly.

"Do you think that little of me?" Foxfire asked, and Tigerstripe blinked up at her, surprised to see how sorrowful her green eyes looked. "Do you think I don't trust you? You're my closest friend, Tigerstripe, you always have been. I'll always trust you."

"Not in this you wouldn't," Tigerstripe said. "I don't believe it, half of the time."

Foxfire's eyes narrowed. "Fine," she snapped. "When you're over yourself and willing to tell me what's wrong instead of hiding it, you come and find me." With that, she padded away, holding her tail high. Tigerstripe closed his eyes as she left him, padding back into camp. He couldn't' tell anyone, even if Foxfire believed him. He was afraid of what might happen to her if he did. Would she hate him? Would she be afraid? Would she run away? Would she tell Brightstar? He had to keep it a secret, for ThunderClan's sake as well as his own.


	60. Chapter 58: Disbelief

**AN:**

**Cinderpaw: Don't hurt Unke Tiggystwipe! **

**Jaystripe: Wow, I bet that took forever! And thank you!**

**Ally: Yups. Whether is he is becoming more like Tigerstar, or Tigerstar is getting more influence remains to be seen. And good for you! I hope the dog finds a forever-home. :D**

**Ginnystar: Yuppers. Thanks as usual. :D**

**Heatherflower: Indeed, Tiggystwipe is getting darker. ;^; And yeah, Swiftpaw was just as fond as everyone else of Tigerstripe as a kit. **

**Warriors06: Oh. Yep, you're a good guesser. xD**

58

Tigerstripe spent an uncomfortable night without Foxfire by his side; she had gone so far as to move her nest completely, so she was closer to Lionstorm than him. Lionstorm wasn't pleased with the new arrangements; ever since she had let Gingerpaw go, he had never forgiven her. Any past feelings he might have had for her were successfully buried.

The next day Tigerstripe was sore and cranky, in no mood to slog through the fresh snow that had fallen during the night. By now, even the apprentices were getting tired of the snow; Stormpaw was found loudly complaining about taking care of the stiff elders.

"Minnowpaw?" Tigerstripe asked, peeping into the apprentice den.

"Yes, Tigerstripe?" Minnowpaw asked quietly, getting to her paws.

"Let's go," Tigerstripe said quietly, beckoning her with his tail. She got to his paws, and they padded out of camp together, but not before Tigerstripe caught sight of Foxfire's green eyes staring at him as they left.

"Let's see if we can find a vole, or something," Tigerstripe grunted, scenting the air. The ice glittered brightly on the trees, making the forest look beautiful. Tigerstripe didn't have time for this beauty, however; he had to take care of his Clan, he didn't have time for anything else.

"I don't smell anything," Minnowpaw said with a frown. "Everything is hiding because of the snow."

"Yes," Tigerstripe said with a frown. "I'm afraid this leaf-bare will be tough on ThunderClan."

"We'll make it though, won't we?" Minnowpaw asked, a touch of anxiety in her voice. Tigerstripe simply nodded.

"Let's see if the river is iced over," Tigerstripe suggested. "If it isn't, we can catch a fish or two." Minnowpaw followed him toward the river. Tigerstripe's eyes widened as he caught a whiff of RiverClan scent.

"Again?" he hissed, hurrying towards Sunningrocks. Sure enough, the river was frozen solid, and RiverClan scent was heavy on the rocks. "We need to tell Brightstar immediately!"

Minnowpaw's ears flattened as she scented the breeze. "Swiftpaw was here," she said quietly. Tigerstripe hesitated, and then licked her head, his former anger dissolved.

"Swiftpaw's your sister, I understand that," he said. "But she's also with RiverClan now, and during a real battle, that makes her an enemy. You don't have to hurt her badly if you two fight, but be careful, because I'm not sure she'll hold back."

Minnowpaw dipped her head. "I understand," she said, although her eyes were dark with grief.

* * *

"Brightstar," Tigerstripe called, entering her den. She smiled as he entered.

"Tigerstripe," she said. "Training with Minnowpaw, I take it?"

"Yes, but that's not what I need to talk to you about," Tigerstripe said. "The river was frozen over today, and we scented RiverClan at Sunningrocks again."

Brightstar's eyes narrowed with anger. "I thought Streamstar had gotten the message," she hissed.

"Are we going to have another raid? With the river frozen, we can send in more cats," Tigerstripe said. Brightstar hesitated for a moment, and then shook her head.

"No, Tigerstripe," she said quietly. "We'll wait until the Gathering, when ShadowClan will be with us. We'll declare war on RiverClan then."

Tigerstripe's eyes widened. "War?"

Brightstar nodded. "RiverClan has pushed us too hard and too far," she declared in a cold voice. "ThunderClan will not show them any more mercy from now on."

* * *

Tigerstripe left Brightstar's den and glanced around, looking for Foxfire. He was deeply troubled now, troubled with himself and with the forces he could no longer control. ThunderClan was spinning out of control, it seemed like all four Clans were, and he didn't know what to do. He didn't know if he would survive this war.

"Foxfire," he said, approaching her when he finally spotted her, eating a vole. Foxfire looked up. For a moment she looked pleased, but then her green eyes clouded over.

"Yes, Tigerstripe?" she asked coldly.

"B…Brightstar wants me to go hunting," Tigerstripe said. It was a harmless lie, and ThunderClan could use the fresh-kill. "I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"I don't," Foxfire said coolly, "but I'm sure I have no choice." She finished the last of her vole before standing up and striding out of camp without waiting for him to catch up.

"Wait, Foxfire," Tigerstripe called as soon as they were out of camp. Foxfire paused, and turned to him. _Brightstar should have named her Foxfrost, _Tigerstripe thought, gazing into her unforgiving eyes.

"Foxfire, I'm sorry," Tigerstripe whispered. "I just…I don't know what's come over me lately. Sometimes I feel like a completely different cat."

"I've noticed," Foxfire replied. Tigerstripe sighed quietly.

"Brightstar is declaring war on RiverClan," he said. "At the next Gathering, only a few days from now. And for some reason…I'm scared. I mean, I've fought them several times before but this time…." He shrugged. "I just don't know. Something doesn't feel right to me. It feels like this could be the end for ThunderClan, somehow…like the whole forest has slide out of StarClan's control."

"I've been feeling it too," Foxfire murmured. "Things are not as they should be. Something is out of balance."

"Yeah," Tigerstripe said, and swallowed. "And I need to tell you something important, Foxfire."

Foxfire's green eyes almost seemed to melt. "Yes?" she whispered.

"I…I'm Tigerstar," Tigerstripe blurted. Foxfire looked disappointed, shocked, and angry, all at the same time.

"That's your big news? That load of foxdung?" she spat.

"Just wait Foxfire, you don't understand," Tigerstripe said pleadingly.

"I understand just fine! You think you can just lie to me!" Foxfire hissed, her fur bristling. "I'm sick of it, Tigerstripe! Sick of the secrets! I don't ever want to speak to you again!" She started to turn away. Tigerstripe's mouth opened of its own accord, and he found himself saying,

"I thought you would always trust me?"

Foxfire turned back to him, hurt and confusion in her eyes.

"You said that, before," Tigerstripe said quietly. "And I didn't believe you when you did. Please, Foxfire. Give me a chance to explain. You don't have to believe me, I don't care. Just give me a chance."

Foxfire hesitated, and then closed her eyes. "Fine," she said. "But I hope for your sake you're telling the truth."

And with that, Tigerstripe told her everything. He told her about Tigerstar, about his rebirth, about his journey to get his eight lives, what each of them were, the blood-lust he felt in battle, and the random flashes of anger he sometimes felt. The only thing he didn't say was his strange hatred of her that he felt sometimes. He couldn't make himself say it, although he wasn't sure why.

Foxfire listened to his tale with carefully neutral green eyes. When he finally finished, she was silent for a long time, so long that he was afraid she would simply walk away.

"You believe me, don't you?" Tigerstripe finally asked. Foxfire remained silent, and then finally nodded.

"Yes, Tigerstripe, I believe you," she whispered. "But I'm scared. So, so scared."


	61. Chapter 59: Troubled Times

**AN:**

**First, I just want to say…WOW. Those are some really positive reviews from you guys! Thank you so much, and I'm terribly sorry I didn't update yesterday; busy busy busy. Now, to business:**

**Wolfstorm: Indeed she does. Thank you. :D**

**Cinderpaw: I'm sure he is. 0.o And yeah, Foxfire is an awesome name. Foxfrost would be okay, but meh.**

**GinnyStar: Thanks. :)**

**RandomNemesis: I don't think I've seen you around here before! Thanks!**

**Lynxeye: Yups. He feels better now, getting it off of his chest. Whether Minnowpaw will survive is a delightfully evil mystery…*strokes chin***

**Ally: Yup, Foxfire was surprised! You saw the "disappointment" bit, eh?**

**LittleSpark: We'll see. :D**

**Heatherflower: Maybe he is. Or maybe Tigerstripe is just a worrier. xD**

**Sageheart: Wow wow wow. That review made me feel fuzzy all over! You hit the exact points I was aiming for while writing this fic, and that makes me feel great! And yes, I'm so fond of my she-cats. Me likes some strong female characters.**

**Rhavis: Thank you! One of my characters in role-play had a lisp that led to some interesting names, so he was the inspiration for our ol' Unke. xD**

**N/N WARRIORCATS LOVER: Uh, ILY you too? xD I haven't read Bluestar's Prophecy, but I will in the future, since I've heard it is pretty good compared to the rest of the terrible stuff the Erins have been churning out lately. ;)**

59

"_Tigerstripe," a familiar voice hissed. Tigerstripe turned to face Tigerstar._

"_Yes?" Tigerstripe asked coolly. "What is it?"_

"_You told Foxfire!" Tigerstar hissed. "You told her everything!" _

"_I had to," Tigerstripe protested. "I would have lost her if I didn't…and I can't do this all myself. I'm…scared."_

"_Fear is a sign of weakness!" Tigerstar snarled, advancing towards Tigerstripe. "I will not allow it! Telling everything to a descendant of Firestar, no less! Our greatest enemy, the only to truly defeat us, and you spout off all of our secrets to his many-greats-granddaughter?"_

_Tigerstripe's eyes narrowed. "She's my friend," he repeated, "and she won't tell a soul. I just need a little help now and then; I was just a kit when this all started, and I still feel like one! I can't do everything myself." Tigerstripe turned away. "Good night." And with that he walked away from Tigerstar, into the dark forest. As he walked it began to almost dissolve from under his paws, until the forest was gone completely, with Tigerstar eerily silent._

* * *

The next few days, Tigerstripe was constantly on edge, dreading the days as the Gathering neared. He wasn't even pleased that he was chosen for the Gathering. Foxfire was chosen as well, and that made him even more nervous; if a fight broke out at the Gathering, he wasn't sure he could protect her. If she needed protecting, that was; she could be very fierce when she wanted to be.

However, there was trouble brewing; the river had began to melt, and it was swelling over its banks. Now only that, but the stream that blocked the way to Fourtrees was overflowing as well; it was much too dangerous to cross. The stream around Fourtrees was probably flooded as well, making it impossible for a Gathering to be held. Only time would tell if it was going to return to normal in time for the Gathering.

The morning before the Gathering, Lionstorm, Viperfang, and Firestorm all returned from the morning patrol. Viperfang went to speak with Brightstar.

"What's going on, Lionstorm?" Whitefeather called. Lionstorm stalked over to her, and Tigerstripe padded over to listen.

"There's no way we'll get to the Gathering," Lionstorm grunted. "The stream's flooded. Even if we went over the Thunderpath, if ShadowClan would led us, it looks like the stream around Fourtrees is flooded too, only the Great Rock is visible now."

"What are we going to do now?" Whitefeather asked.

"Maybe there's another place we can gather?" Tigerstripe asked. "What do we usually do when this happens?"

"It doesn't happen often; very rarely in fact," Batpaw said, coming out of his den and sitting down beside Whitefeather. "I don't think there is another plan for the Clan; the four of them could never agree. Fourtrees is the only real center of the forest, and anywhere else would be too close to one Clan or another."

"So what is Brightstar going to do?" Tigerstripe asked. "She was bent on declaring war on RiverClan at the Gathering, to have the other Clans back her up."

Lionstorm shrugged, and then turned. "Looks like we're about to see."

Brightstar sprang onto the HighRock and called the Clan together.

"The dawn patrol has told me that it will be impossible for ThunderClan or any Clan to go to the Gathering," she declared.

"When are we going to go to war, then?" Badgerstripe asked. "I want justice against RiverClan!"

"We will wait until the next Gathering," Brightstar said simply. "I want the other Clans on our side when we wage our war; it must be quick and decisive."

"A whole 'nother moon?" Stormpaw complained. "How are we supposed to be warriors if we can't fight?"

"I can't believe she's going to wait!" Tigerstripe whispered.

"She must think it is the will of StarClan, that we not fight yet," Batpaw said simply. "It could be, perhaps, for all we know. And this moon will be hard on the Clan; I think it is wise to wait, perhaps until new-leaf, when we are strong and fit again. Otherwise, we risk losing precious lives."

"Next moon it will be the middle of leaf-bare," Whitefeather said. "Won't that be a worse time?"

Batpaw shrugged. "We just have to hope the snow will stay away," he said simply. "I doubt it will snow again."

* * *

Batpaw was proven wrong the very next day, as snow blanketed the forest. It snowed on and off for the next half moon, as if to ensure that the forest was permanently covered with a thin layer of snow.

Prey was hard to find among the forest, and ribs were quickly becoming a common sight among the Clan. The elders were of course taken care of first, and the entire Clan agreed they were lucky that there were no kits or queens at the time. Often, two warriors would have to share a scrawny mouse just to keep their bellies from rumbling all of the time.

Fishing was soon one of the only means the Clan had to find food. Minnowpaw was in her element; she was a good fisher and a quick learner, adapting to the different types of fish in ThunderClan's streams quickly. She helped teach her brother and sister as well; both of them were naturals at it, but neither was as good as she.

Minnowpaw was advanced in her training, too; according to her, she had been an apprentice the day after she and Swiftpaw had joined RiverClan, or so she said. Whether it was true or not, Minnowpaw was a good hunter, and when she sparred against Creekpaw, she actually managed to beat her sister. Stormpaw was another matter, however; he was proving to be quite the fighter, beating both Creekpaw and Minnowpaw.

All together, Brightstar was very pleased with the apprentices' progress. They were moving rapidly along, and she promised their mentors that they would be assessed soon.

Minnowpaw was beginning to relax around the other cats as well; most of the warriors had warmed to her. Her sweet nature hadn't been tainted by her time spent in RiverClan; rather, it made her seem to be all the more glad to be back in ThunderClan. Most of the Clan had her to thank for their belly full of fish, and so most of the cats were kind to her, if only to ensure she didn't run back to RiverClan and feed them fish instead.

Of RiverClan there was no sign; the river did not freeze, but was too cold for them to risk crossing. They marked their borders right up to the river's edge, and ThunderClan did the same, insuring that both Clans knew their place. ThunderClan waited eagerly for the next Gathering, to finally have revenge on RiverClan.

And yet, when the dawn patrol came on the day before the Gathering, they reported that there would be no Gathering; the snow was melting again, and once more Fourtrees had flooded. Many cats, including Viperfang were simply furious, but Brightstar appeared to almost have expected it.

"It is not a bad sign, ThunderClan," she announced from atop the HighRock. "Rather, it means that newleaf will be arriving when the war begins, and we will be that much stronger!"

The Clan was heartened at her words, but the thought of war hanging over their heads didn't keep their spirits up for long.

Meanwhile, Tigerstripe was having nightly nightmares, all of which involved him walking through the Dark Forest calling for Tigerstar, while a mysterious voice – Tigerstar's, perhaps? – spoke to him, telling him terrible things he couldn't recall once he awoke. Tigerstripe became very tired, and Minnowpaw even commented on it, bringing him the largest fish she had caught to perk him up. Tigerstripe accepted it gratefully, and ate it, but the nightmares continued and he became worried about what the future held. Had Tigerstar turned his back on him?

**AN: Bah, this was mainly a summary chapter. Sorry, but we needed one! **

**On a side-note, I started watching 3:10 to Yuma yesterday. It was amazing. I hope Wade makes it through okay (I'm about in the middle, I think.)**


	62. Chapter 60: Assessments

**AN: HOSHI-**

**Sixty chapters! It doesn't feel like it has been nearly that long! (To anything but my fingers, at least. They're tired.) I just want to think all of you for your continued support!**

**I'm too tired to reply to individual reviews. Nothing much happened last chapter anyways, so….Moving onward!**

60

Leaf-bare continued, and the days marched onward towards the Gathering, when war would be declared. Brightstar was confident that this would be the moon it would happen; it did not snow after the half moon.

However, it appeared RiverClan was beginning to realize this as well, for their scent suddenly disappeared from their side of the border. Some cats wanted to extend the border, but Brightstar did not; she warned them that it might spark the war too soon, and ThunderClan had nothing to gain from expanding the border past the river; RiverClan would only reclaim it again.

Tigerstar still remained out of Tigerstripe's dreams, although the nightmares began fading as well. Tigerstripe tried to think of his past as little as possible throughout the moon.

Several days after the half-moon, Brightstar called Badgerstripe, Blackstream, and Tigerstripe into her den. Blackstream had been chosen to mentor Creekpaw after Birchpelt died.

"I want to speak with you about your apprentices," Brightstar mewed.

"Are they going to be assessed soon?" Badgerstripe asked eagerly. Brightstar nodded.

"I want you three to assess your apprentices today," she said, and then smiled. "And, there is something more. If the three of them do well, I will give them a special mission, to get them closer to becoming warriors. I'm worried about RiverClan; they've stopped marking the border near here, but I have caught strange cat-scents from over the river recently. They might be gaining new allies; if so, we might need to reevaluate our battle plan."

"And you want our apprentices to do this?" Blackstream asked in her soft voice. "How?"

"They will need to spy on RiverClan, going to RiverClan camp," Brightstar explained. "Minnowpaw knows the way I am sure, and she and her siblings are perfect for RiverClan territory. I trust them, but I don't want to send them there unless they are properly trained."

The mentors all glanced at one another, and nodded.

"I believe they are ready, Brightstar," Tigerstripe said. "We'll begin the assessment at once."

Brightstar nodded, and they all left her den.

"Minnowpaw," Tigerstripe called, and Minnowpaw bounded up to him, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes, Tigerstripe?" she asked eagerly.

"You're going to be assessed today, along with Stormpaw and Creekpaw," Tigerstripe announced. Minnowpaw's blue eyes burned even brighter with the desire to prove herself.

"We'll leave camp at sunhigh," Tigerstripe promised, and Minnowpaw padded away, probably to share the good news with her mother. Silvermist had moved into the warrior's den now, and the nursery was barren, empty.

"Can I come as well?" Foxfire's voice came from behind, causing Tigerstripe to turn. He blinked at her soft green eyes, and them smiled.

"Of course," he said. "Knowing you are there, I'm sure Minnowpaw will do better, Foxstar."

Foxfire laughed quietly. "I don't know why you keep calling me that," she mewed, her eyes glittering. Tigerstripe said.

"Habit, I guess," he said. "And no offense, your warrior name is great and all, but for some reason I prefer Foxstar."

Foxfire pressed her pelt against his, and the two of them sat there together, watching the sun rise up into the sky.

* * *

Soon it was sunhigh, and the three apprentices left camp, with their mentors close behind. For assessments, each mentor would watch each apprentice, and then give their reviews to Brightstar later. Then, she would decide whether they were ready to go on the mission or not.

Tigerstripe and Foxfire began following Minnowpaw first, of course, trailing her as she padded through the forest. She was heading towards the stream near Fourtrees, of course, to show off her fishing skills. Tigerstripe and Foxfire watched silently as she speared two fish with little time in between, before nodding to each other and padding away.

After that, they began trailing Creekpaw. She too was near the stream, and she too had decided to fish. She caught the first fish, but bungled the second and third. She glanced around quickly as if to make sure no one had seen, before she managed to catch the fourth fish.

Satisfied, Foxfire and Tigerstripe left her as well, and began following Stormpaw. Unlike his sisters, he had chosen to show his prowess hunting land prey. He started stalking a mouse, but hesitated slightly too long, and it got away. The opposite happened with a rabbit – he attacked too soon – and it also escaped. However, he made up for it by snagging a dove, quite a hard catch.

Tigerstripe was satisfied, and began to head back to camp, when Foxfire stopped him. Tigerstripe paused, thinking Stormpaw was stalking something else, but Stormpaw had disappeared.

"What is it?" Tigerstripe asked. Foxfire looked at her paws.

"I think you should stay away from Tigerstar," she blurted. Tigerstripe was surprised, but simply said,

"Well, he's stopped visiting me again anyways."

"That won't last long, though," Foxfire said, and her green eyes were clouded with worry. "This doesn't feel right, Tigerstripe. He was a dangerous cat, and he did kill others, no matter what he told you. I don't think entire years of ThunderClan history could be wrong! And his legacy has tainted all four Clans, they all say the same things about him. How could they all be wrong?"

Tigerstripe almost dismissed her words immediately, but something within him made him pause. It was true that he didn't have very many good memories; Brambleclaw had betrayed him, Ravenpaw had been weak, Firestar was his mortal enemy and Lionheart had been almost his rival and he had not felt sorrow when he died. Very few of his memories with those cats were actually positive, and he found himself worried. Had he really been that bad of a cat? Had Tigerstar misled him?

"Please, Tigerstripe," Foxfire whispered, her eyes round with fear. "I'm scared of him, and what might happen to you. You're changing on the inside, Tigerstripe, and sometimes you aren't yourself. You look at me strangely sometimes, as if you hate me…and you nearly tore Minnowpaw's head off over a prank! It's like Tigerstar has some sort of control over you, like the worst parts of him show up in you…do you really want those memories?"

Tigerstripe closed his eyes. "You're right," he found himself saying. "You're right. Something was – is – deeply wrong with Tigerstar. I don't want to become him…but maybe that's just how I am. The Tigerstar in me would come out anyway, somehow, even without the ritual….I'm going to go through with it."

Foxfire's eyes widened. "Why?"

"I need those eight lives, Foxfire," Tigerstripe said. "I need that power. Not for myself, but for ThunderClan."

"That's why you aren't Tigerstar," Foxfire said. "He wanted power for himself. You want power for your Clan. But if you continue like this, you might lose that part of yourself…the part that I love."

**AN: Something I just realized: Minnowpaw was taken to RiverClan when she was four moons old, and right after that she was apprenticed. So she was training for two moons before Stormpaw and Creekpaw! S & C have only been training for two moons (nearly three) and Minnowpaw's already been training for four (nearly five.)**

**Strange, eh? **


	63. Chapter 61: Gingerkit

**AN: Sorry about updates being so slow, guys. I've been really busy lately, and kind of in a slump…so this chapter is a filler piece. Just something to get me back on my feet. xD**

**It is NOT important to the plot, and if you don't want to read it, you don't have to. I made this a double update so anyone who doesn't want to read this bit can read the next chapter instead.**

**Now, for those of you that are reading, I was thinking about doing a one-shot of Gingerpaw, explaining a bit about her and her past, maybe a little view of her issues even when she was young. So take my hand, I'll take you there, back in time…back when Gingerpaw was Gingerkit, only four moons old….**

61

Gingerkit blinked out of the nursery entrance, her amber eyes wide with curiosity. There was a whole big wide world out there, giant and fun to explore. Gingerkit had been out of the nursery only twice, and she was never allowed out of camp. She glanced behind her. Everyone else was asleep, it appeared; young Tigerkit, only two moons old, Lionkit and Whitekit who were only three moons, and of course her dear sister Foxkit, four moons old. Gingerkit smiled at her sister, and thought about poking her to wake her up. Foxkit always had good games, and she was fun to play with, always the leader; Gingerkit adored her sister. Fawndapple loved Foxkit too, sometimes over-looking Gingerkit, but Gingerkit didn't mind. Foxkit deserved it, she was wonderful, after all.

However, her sister had been tuckered out from playing today, while Gingerkit had been taking a nap. Now it was reversed, and Gingerkit was all alone.

She sighed and looked out at the camp again. Then, she got an idea. She would_ sneak out of camp. _Alone, so she could tell everyone all about it. Emboldened with her idea, she got to her paws and crept out of the nursery, towards the entrance, slinking along the edge of camp and glancing back over her shoulder every few moments. She felt uncertain, afraid, but also a little brave too, going where no kit had ever gone before.

She trotted through the gorse tunnel, picking up speed, until she ran through the other side. It was as if a fog had been lifted in her mind; suddenly the sun seemed warmer, the birdsong was louder, the leaves were brighter, the sky was bluer…everything seemed so much more interesting!

She padded along for a short time, unsure of where to go first. She sniffed a nearby leaf, trying to figure out if it smelled like ThunderClan. She wasn't quite sure if it did or not; when everything smelled like ThunderClan, did anything really smell like ThunderClan? She puzzled over this for a short time, before something else caught her attention. A tiny mouse was trembling underneath a broad leaf. Gingerkit peered down at it curiously.

"Hey, mouse," she whispered. The mouse quivered with fear, and then dashed away, towards a tiny hole in the ground. Quickly, Gingerkit put her paw over the hole, blocking it. The mouse stopped dead and sat there, quivering with fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Gingerkit mewed, lowering her head so it was even with the mouse's. "Want to be friends?" The mouse simply stared at her, and then smoothed its whiskers quickly, as if saying _yes._

Gingerkit smiled at him. "You're a special mousie, aren't you?" she cooed, somehow sure this little mouse would understand. He was special, she was certain. Gingerkit moved her paw away from the mouse's hole, but it didn't move. He was frozen for a minute, and then disappeared down the hole as quick as a flash. Gingerkit frowned, and peered down the hole, but the mouse didn't come back.

"Guess he didn't want to be friends," Gingerkit murmured, depressed. She sat back on her haunches, with her ears flat with sadness. Just then, the mouse's head peeked out of the hole.

"Mousie!" Gingerkit exclaimed with excitement. Instead of disappearing again, the mouse blinked at her, and then disappeared again, re-appearing moments later with a seed in his little mouth. He moved towards Gingerkit and dropped the seed at her feet.

"Keep it, Mousie," Gingerkit said warmly, and nudged it back to him. "You and I are best friends now."

The mouse nibbled at the seeds, turning it with his keen little paws. Gingerkit watched closely, wondering at how different his paws looked from hers. His were tiny, but sharp with their little claws that never retracted.

After the mouse finished off his little seed, he began ducking in and out of his hole very quickly. Eventually, Gingerkit put her paw over his hole just as about as he was about to get in. He scratched at her paw feebly, before blinking up at her. Gingerkit removed her paw, and he dove back inside, then out again, and a new game was born. Gingerkit would try to put her paw over the mouse-hole, just when the mouse tried to dive down into it. The closer she was to him getting in, the more points she got. Gingerkit was overjoyed with this little game, and it seemed to her that she had finally found the one thing she had always wanted; a friend who would never leave her, would never get bored of her games. She finally laid down while the little mouse panted at her side.

"I love you, Mousie," she purred, wrapping her tail around the little mouse. The two of them quickly fell asleep.

A rustling woke Gingerkit up some time later. She uncurled from the mouse, and stood, her fur bristling with fright.

"Glad we found you!" Cinderfur purred, coming out of the brush. "We've been looking all over for you, Gingerkit." Her eyes widened when she saw the mouse. "A snack!" she exclaimed, taking a step forward. The mouse blinked up at her, not making a move for his hole, probably thinking this was another new friend. Cinderfur let out a growl, and sprang forward, catching the mouse in her paws. Gingerkit let out a squeak of fright and horror as Cinderfur bit into the mouse's neck. The mouse twitched in her paws, and then went limp, the light in its keen black eyes fading quickly.

Gingerkit let out a loud cry and ran into Cinderfur's side. Cinderfur blinked at her curiously, and let the dead mouse out from between her claws. Gingerkit nosed the limp body; it was already going cold. She nudged it again and again, hoping her friend would wake up again, and move. But he never did.

"What are you doing?" Cinderfur asked curiously. "It's dead, silly. We'll eat it later, I guess. It isn't something for you to play with, come on. Even though they don't go to StarClan, we should treat them with respect; they keep us fed, after all."

Gingerkit's mouth dropped open, as her friend's death truly hit her. Her mouse was gone forever; he would never make it to StarClan. She would never play with him there. She stared down at her friend's little body, and picked him up gently by his scruff. Satisfied, Cinderfur led Gingerkit back to camp.

Gingerkit curled up around the little mouse once they reached the nursery. Her mother didn't say anything about it, and although Foxkit seemed confused, she didn't say anything either. For the next two days, Gingerkit wouldn't go anywhere without her little mouse-friend. On the third day, Lionkit's sister, Whitekit, approached her.

Whitekit studied the mouse closely, between Gingerkit's paws.

"Who is that?" she asked, coming to sit beside Gingerkit.

"My best friend," Gingerkit said sadly, nuzzling the mouse's fur, still hoping that he might wake up somehow.

"Your best friend?" Whitekit repeated. "It's…a mouse."

"Yeah," Gingerkit whispered. "He was."

"I'm sorry," Whitekit said, licking Gingerkit's shoulder. "I guess friends come in all sizes, huh?" Gingerkit said nothing in reply, and Whitekit simply stared at her for a moment.

"I'll be your friend," Whitekit said, and Gingerkit blinked up at her. "Er, I mean, only if you want to," Whitekit said shyly, staring at her paws. Gingerkit simply studied her for a moment, and then smiled.

"I'd love to be friends with you," Gingerkit said, and then picked up her little mouse, and trotted out of the nursery.

She snuck out for the second time, this time with Whitekit at her side. The two of them padded to the mouse's hole. Gingerkit studied it for a moment, and then set the mouse down, gently nudging his limp body back into the hole, widening the entrance slightly.

"Little mousie, I'll miss you forever," Gingerkit whispered sadly. "I hope you go to mouse-StarClan, even if that means we can't ever see each other again. I love you." She felt her voice choke up, and had to step back.

"Mouse, I didn't know you, but you meant a lot to Gingerkit. And now Gingerkit and I were friends, and that might not have happened without you…so thank you," Whitekit said. The two of them began moving dust with their paws towards the hole, until it was covered. Then, the two of them padded back together.

* * *

The rain pelted down on ThunderClan camp; one lone figure watched the gorse tunnel with bright eyes. Cinderfur never saw the figure creeping up on her, never suspected she was about to die. Not until the claws sliced over her throat did she realize there had been someone behind her, someone that hated her. Cinderfur fell to the ground, her life-blood pooling around her. The last thing she heard before her eyes glazed over and her breathing stopped was a voice hissing into her ear.

"For Mousie."

**AN: Poor Gingerkit, always ignored. This was just something I thought about, perhaps leading to Gingerpaw's deep-seated issues with her mentor. The mouse wasn't the only reason Gingerpaw killed her, Cinderfur was just generally a bully of a cat, really, but this is part of it and needs to be mentioned. It also shows just how troubled Gingerpaw was; she almost killed Whitepaw, even after what Whitepaw had done for her. Whether this tidbit makes Gingerpaw more understandable or less depends on your view, I guess, I just needed something new to write about.**


	64. Chapter 62: Mission

**AN:**

**Heatherflower: LionXLion…he's the only one that could put up with himself! xD I don't think Stormpaw has an inner cheerful self. 0.o**

**Rhavis: She was only four moons when she was apprenticed, and at first she and Swiftpaw were little rebels, refusing to train. Eventually they decided to train so that they could eventually run away from RiverClan back to ThunderClan. Then Swiftpaw went to the dark wet side. xD**

**GinnyStar: Thanks!**

**Cinder: Okay, a secret: Lion did originally like Fox. She was strong and brave, and seemed like a good apprentice. After she let Ginger go, Lion felt betrayed, since Ginger had tried to kill White. So he got over any feelings he had for Fox after that.**

**N/N: Thanks. The apprentices aren't going to be inside the actual camp; they'll be hiding near the outskirts of the camp, probably in ferns to hide their scent, just watching. And do you mean Fox would be better with White, or Tiger would be better with White? Your pronouns were a little confusing. xD**

**Warriors06: xD It'd be cute if you did.**

**Ally: Thanks :D**

**LittleSpark: Really? Thanks!**

62

Tigerstripe just blinked at her. "The part you…?"

Foxfire looked away from him, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, Tigerstripe," she said quietly, and then slipped away, her ginger pelt disappearing into the forest before Tigerstripe could say that maybe he loved her too.

* * *

Tigerstripe was torn between looking for Foxfire and returning to camp. Finally, he decided that it was his duty to help Minnowpaw, before he turned to his personal life; he returned to camp, thinking that Foxfire would be home again soon.

He entered Brightstar's den immediately. Blackstorm and Badgerstripe were already there, and Badgerstripe gave him a reproachful look.

"We've been waiting," he complained.

"Badgerstripe and Blackstream have already evaluated your apprentice," Brightstar informed Tigerstripe. "What have you to say?"

Tigerstripe told them of everything he had seen, finishing with how he felt they were all making great progress, and that they were good enough for the mission. Brightstar nodded slowly.

"They have told me Minnowpaw is the most advanced of the apprentices," Brightstar said. "Good work, Tigerstripe."

Tigerstripe blushed. "She's been training for longer," he said simply.

"So, what do we tell them?" Badgerstripe asked.

"The mission will be a secret; we must only tell the apprentices," Brightstar replied. "Send them in here and I will tell them their mission. You may accompany them to Sunningrocks, but please, go no further. They should report back at nightfall, and I will announce to the Clan their news. You three should wait near Sunningrocks in case there is trouble or they are caught."

The three mentors nodded and rose to their paws, going to look for their apprentices.

"Minnowpaw," Tigerstripe said, spotting his apprentice. "Come on, Brightstar wants to see you."

"Did I do well?" Minnowpaw asked, looking worried. Tigerstripe winked at her.

"You'll see, you'll see," he said simply. He motioned towards Brightstar's den. Minnowpaw got to her paws and padded towards the den, her tail tucked low with anxiety.

Tigerstripe waited, and sure enough after some time, the three apprentices left the den, all looking incredibly excited.

"I can't believe it!" Minnowpaw squeaked, racing towards Tigerstripe.

"Shush, it's a secret," Tigerstripe reminded her. "Come on, let's go." Minnowpaw followed Tigerstripe out of the camp; close on their heels were Blackstream, Badgerstripe, Creekpaw, and Stormpaw.

They padded towards Sunningrocks, where they all paused for a moment.

"Be careful," Tigerstripe said finally, giving Minnowpaw an affectionate lick. "I want you to be careful, don't take risks, and keep your siblings safe. Look for as much as you can, but run back here if you think there might be trouble."

"I will," Minnowpaw said, and rubbed her head against Tigerstripe's chest, before turning to hop over the rocks, towards the other side of the river. Stormpaw and Creekpaw followed, and soon the three of them disappeared from view, leaving their mentors to wait on the other side of the river.

* * *

Tigerstripe shivered, and glanced at Badgerstripe and Blackstream, as the sun began sinking slowly towards the horizon. Tigerstripe's breath was coming out in puffs in front of him, and frost was actually forming on his whiskers. He shivered again, and glanced at the other warriors once more. They were expressionless as the faced the bank, stoic, and Tigerstripe closed his eyes. He wouldn't allow himself to be weak. That wasn't the Tigerstripe that Foxfire loved.

The thought of Foxfire sparked a glow in his chest, and he actually seemed to grow a bit warmer. He smiled to himself, and glanced up at the sky again, wishing the apprentices would hurry. He wanted to find Foxfire.

There was a rustle up ahead, and Tigerstripe peered across the river, waiting. Badgerstripe tensed, and Tigerstripe realized that if it was a RiverClan patrol, they would be suspicious of what three ThunderClan warriors were doing, staring over the river. Tigerstripe tensed; if RiverClan warriors saw them, there would be major trouble.

A small head peeked out of the bushes, and glanced around quickly, before motioning for the cats behind it. The three little figures padded towards the bank. With a pang of relief, Tigerstripe realized they were the apprentices.

They all trotted over the river, over the stones. Tigerstripe opened his mouth to ask them what was going on, but the other two mentors stood and padded away. Tigerstripe frowned, and glanced at Minnowpaw, before following Badgerstripe and Blackstream, feeling rather like an apprentice himself.

"So?" Tigerstripe whispered to Minnowpaw. "What's going on? What did you guys see?"

"RiverClan's preparing for war!" Minnowpaw whispered. "And there are more cats then I remember. Lots more, and I know some of them weren't from RiverClan. They were right in camp, bunches of them, and Streamstar was talking to them. They were listening to a she-cat named Clay, I think. She was the leader."

"Who were they planning on declaring war on?" Tigerstripe asked. "ThunderClan, I assume?"

"No," Minnowpaw answered, and her blue eyes were wide. "RiverClan is declaring war on WindClan."


	65. Chapter 63: Moonlight

**AN: **

**YunaWolf: Thanks! Yeah, poor Gingerkit!**

**Cinderpaw: That would be strange. And no, not any more Lion x Fox.**

**N/N: What does the "S" stand for? And I will try to update, I like how many reviews I'm getting after poor Gingerkit's chapter!**

**Foxleap: Thank you! And Cinderfur didn't realize what she did wrong, but she's still a meany.**

**Heatherflower: *approaches nervously with Gingerkit plushie* Does Gingerkit count as a good character now? The reason for RC/WC will be explained later, as will Clay.**

**Warriors06: I know, my favorite Clan is so mean! D:**

**LittleSpark: Yeah! Until it died. :D**

**Cinderpaw: Yay, my evil plan worked!**

**everyone: Just a heads up, BloodClan won't be making an entrance. That would be silly, seeing as the Erins confirmed that they fell apart after Scourge died.**

**REDROX: Thank you! :D**

**GinnyStar: Thanks. :D**

**Ally: Yup, I was going to have the Gingerkit thing as a one-shot, but figured that unless people had already read past the murder mystery subplot, it would be too obvious Gingerkit was evil. So I included it with the rest of the story so it wouldn't spoil things for anyone. And we'll find out about WindClan soon. :D**

**Lynxeye: Yups, we're getting closer and closer to the end! There should be plenty of chapters leading up to there though, so no worries. And there aren't many she-cats that could be popping out kits that haven't already, and Lightcloud, Fawndapple, and Dapplefur are by no means ready to go back to the nursery! xD**

63

Brightstar was waiting for them in her den. "How did it go?"

"The apprentices bring…interesting news," Tigerstripe said, glancing at Minnowpaw. The apprentices all glanced at one another, as if unsure as to who should go first.

"RiverClan is going to fight WindClan," Stormpaw said bluntly. Brightstar's eyes widened.

"Why?" she asked.

"Apparently WindClan has been trespassing often, over the broken bridge," Minnowpaw said, "and one WindClan cat has been attacking single RiverClan cats, but no one has seen the warrior doing it."

Brightstar's eyes were dark. "This is…troubling," she said slowly, and then her eyes widened and a smile curled her muzzle. "However, this could be useful for us. If WindClan is against them and so are we, perhaps we could make some sort of alliance with them…they are thinking of us favorably after we helped save them from the sickness." At this, she shot Tigerstripe a look. He tried to look innocent.

"Not only that, but if RiverClan is facing a two-front war, they will be weakened," Badgerstripe said, his eyes flashing. "Birchpelt can have his revenge."

"RiverClan isn't alone, though," Creekpaw said. "There are strange cats in their camp that seem to be allied with RiverClan. They are led by a she-cat named Clay; I think they are a band of loners that used to live near the barn. They have a grudge against WindClan, after WindClan ran them off of the barn; WindClan relies on it to get them through the harsh cold months."

"Nevertheless, this is an unprecedented opportunity," Brightstar said. "We might be able to solve our problem with RiverClan completely after the next Gathering." She smiled, but the smile didn't reach her cold amber eyes, and Tigerstripe knew that she wanted her revenge for Petalcloud just as much as Badgerstripe wanted it for Birchpelt.

* * *

"So, we did really good?" Minnowpaw whispered as they left Brightstar's den. Tigerstripe nodded, and licked her head.

"Get some rest," he purred. "You've earned it." Minnowpaw nodded quickly and padded towards the apprentice den. Tigerstripe headed for the warrior's den, looking forward to a good night's rest. However, when he came inside, he realized Foxfire was not there at all. Tigerstripe frowned, and left the den after scenting her nest; the scent was stale. He padded out of camp, feeling a bit worried; what if she was in trouble?

He back-tracked to where she had spoken to him earlier that day, and began following her stale scent as best as he could. He lost it several times and it took him a long time to find it again. By the time her scent became stronger, the moon was already high in the sky, bathing everything with soft moonlight. The Gathering was not very far away now, and the moon was burning brightly, as if eager for war.

Foxfire's slim form came into view, finally; she was sitting on the bank of the stream near Fourtrees. Tigerstripe paused, remembering when they had played in it together as apprentices, showing Batpaw the territory. He smiled to himself, and then padded forward, towards Foxfire's pelt, which had been turned silver by the moonlight. She didn't turn, for he treaded slightly, and she twitched with surprise as he sat down beside her.

"Hello, Tigerstripe," she said, still gazing into the moonlit stream, not turning to face him. Tigerstripe said nothing, simply studied her silently for a moment. The proud curve to her chin, her warm green eyes, her ginger pelt which burned with the sun's might during the day…._Beautiful, _he thought, and felt the warm glow in his chest return to him.

"I'm sorry, Tigerstripe," Foxfire murmured. "I…I shouldn't have said what I did, not now, when everything is so tense…I mean, we'll be fighting RiverClan soon enough, and we need to keep our heads together, I guess. You don't need to be thinking and puzzling over something like this, and I guess I spoke too soon. I'm—"

Tigerstripe put his tail to her lips, silencing her. Confused, she turned to face him, and Tigerstripe smiled, as he realized that he belonged with Foxfire, forever. Gently, he reached forward and licked her muzzle, letting out a rumbling purr as he curled around her, his chin resting on her shoulder. Foxfire blinked, but did not move away, and she seemed to almost melt against him.

"I love you," they said together, two halves of the same whole under the bright moon.

**AN: Awww....**

**This is rather important: I updated the "Gingerkit" chapter with a little something I thought of last night. Ouch.**


	66. Chapter 64: War is Declared

**AN:**

**N/N: Oh…that makes a lot more sense. I was thinking it stood for "sauerkraut". xD And glad ya loved it!**

**Rainstar: Thank you! I aim to please. :D**

**LittleSpark: Ditto above. xD**

**Ravenwhisper: It was a tidbit of Gingerpaw when she was little, actually, exploring her faults/past. ;)**

**Heatherflower: Me too! It's like *boy hands girl ball* OMG THEY'RE GONNA GET MARRIED. xD**

**Warriors06: SQUEE!**

**Heatherflower: Yups, just tacked a bit on to the end. Gingerpaw didn't mean to kill Whitepaw with the berries; she didn't know Whitepaw would eat them. But then Gingerpaw realized Whitepaw might tell on her, and at that time, Gingerpaw's mind was already becoming incredibly twisted. Instead of asking for Whitepaw not to tell/lying about the berries, she decided the only way was to bump her off. As I said, she was deeply troubled.**

**Ally: You might hear them. ;)**

**JTora: New reader, cool! Just a hint, don't read the reviews, or you might get spoiler'd pretty hard. Actually, you probably shouldn't read these little replies either, since they are spoilery too….0.o**

64

Days passed slowly, and those few days were the happiest Tigerstripe had in his entire life. He spent them all with Foxfire, just the two of them together, hunting and fishing and even playing like kits when there was a light snow one morning that melted away before sunhigh. It was as if Tigerstripe was walking on air; for once, everything felt perfect.

But then the Gathering rose its ugly head, and Tigerstripe crashed down to earth. He was chosen but Foxfire was not, and Tigerstripe was worried. With two Clans declaring war on one another, there would almost certainly be a battle, even though Gatherings were supposed to be peaceful. Brightstar seemed to be thinking this too, for she had chosen a large number of warriors to come.

The moon was rising into the sky when Brightstar called her Clan together to get ready to go to Fourtrees.

"Be safe," Foxfire purred in Tigerstripe's ear. He licked her muzzle.

"I'll come back," he promised, before turning to watch as Brightstar led the other warriors out of camp. "I'll see you soon," he called over his shoulder, before hurrying to catch up to them.

None of the apprentices were coming, in case there was a battle; Brightstar was remembering when RiverClan had attacked them before, when all of the warriors were away, and she wanted plenty of cats guarding camp just in case.

They paused above the slope leading down to Fourtrees.

"We will not shed blood here," Brightstar instructed them. "We will uphold StarClan's law…unless RiverClan strikes first. Then we will defend ourselves. Understand?"

The ThunderClan warriors nodded, and Brightstar flicked her tail, leading them down the slope. RiverClan was there, and sure enough there were several cats Tigerstripe didn't recognize. They smelled of something other than RiverClan, a scent Tigerstripe couldn't quite place, and they huddled together looking at the warriors nervously. There were three in total, two large gray toms, and one small brown she-cat that Tigerstripe realized must be Clay. He thought about speaking with them, but decided against it; it was clear they weren't friendly cats.

ShadowClan was there as well, muttering amongst one another, casting furtive looks at the WindClan cats. It was strange, but none of the Clans were mixing; RiverClan and ShadowClan were glaring at WindClan, and WindClan was simply clumped together, looking puzzled and anxious.

ThunderClan began mixing with ShadowClan, and several cats went to WindClan as well. Little was said, and finally all eyes turned to the four leaders on the Great Rock. Darkstar was quivering with anger as he started at Swiftstar. Streamstar was hissing quietly, and Swiftstar almost flinched under their hostile gazes.

"What has gone on during the past moon that makes you treat WindClan this way?" Brightstar demanded.

"Let the coward tell us himself!" Darkstar spat. Swiftstar's eyes narrowed.

"WindClan doesn't know what you're talking about," he growled through clenched teeth.

"Ha! As if he didn't know!" Streamstar scoffed. "WindClan has been sending a single warrior into our territory to attack our warriors! Single warriors going hunting for the Clan, even young apprentices being assessed…what is WindClan planning?"

"WindClan has been doing the same with ShadowClan!" Darkstar hissed.

Brightstar blinked at Swiftstar. "Is this true?"

"No!" Swiftstar exclaimed, his ears flat against his head. "WindClan has been keeping to their borders! You have no proof!"

"There is WindClan scent all over our fallen warriors," Streamstar spat.

"In ShadowClan as well," Darkstar grunted. "how can you say it was not WindClan, when we clearly smell them on the fallens' pelts?"

"I don't know how this is happening, but WindClan is not to blame," Swiftstar said, his voice shrill with panic.

"You've got one chance to tell us, scum, or we'll declare war," Darkstar growled. Streamstar nodded. Swiftstar's eyes narrowed, and his panic was replaced with an icy calm.

"WindClan did not do this," he said evenly.

"Liar!" Darkstar yowled, and Streamstar sprang to her paws in outrage. "ShadowClan is at war with WindClan! Let StarClan be our witness!" Darkstar yowled at the skies. Brightstar's eyes were wide, and it almost appeared Darkstar was about to spring at Swiftstar. ShadowClan cats on the ground tensed, as did WindClan.

"RiverClan declares war as well," Streamstar announced. Tigerstripe's eyes were wide with shock. Almost instantly, WindClan had been isolated. Surely they deserved it, if their scent was everywhere, but why hadn't Swiftstar admitted WindClan's fault? Wouldn't it have looked better for them if they were at least honest?

ThunderClan tensed readying themselves for Brightstar to side with ShadowClan, and in turn declare war against WindClan, or even RiverClan. However, she said nothing, simply watching the other leaders carefully. As she did so, a cloud covered the moon, cutting off the light. Every cat in the clearing look up, and saw the massive cloud over the moon, blotting out any trace of light.

"StarClan does not wish for this to happen," Swiftstar said, his tail lashing.

"StarClan just doesn't want us to fight here," Darkstar said with a growl, and flicked his tail to his Clan. "Come! To camp!" With that he sprang off of the Great Rock and stalked away, his dark warriors following him. Tigerstripe was surprised to see Batpaw hesitate, rise to his paws and then sit down again, anguish on his face.

"RiverClan, let's go," Streamstar snarled, and led her Clan away as well. Swiftstar and WindClan practically fled, leaving ThunderClan alone.

"Let's go home," Brightstar said, a note of weariness in her voice.

* * *

As soon as they entered camp, there was chaos as warriors and apprentices alike clamored for news. Brightstar silenced this by getting on the HighRock and yowled over their voices. She quietly explained everything that had transpired that night.

"Why didn't we declare war?" Badgerstripe demanded, kneading the ground with his claws.

"If we did just then, ShadowClan would feel they had to support us and declare war against RiverClan as well, leaving them with a two-front war. We would also have one against WindClan, if ShadowClan sided with us, as we have pledged to fight together," Brightstar said slowly. "Every Clan would have had two enemies, and few allies; the forest would have been thrown into chaos. Not only that, but I am afraid all of the Clans would have been consequently destroyed; WindClan would have been annihilated, and RiverClan would have been soon crushed by us and ShadowClan, but our remaining two Clans would be fragile, wiped away by the last clutches of leaf-bare. We shall wage our war against RiverClan, but we must do it alone." She sighed quietly. "We will speak with RiverClan one last time, and give Streamstar one last chance to back down. She will not, I am sure, but she will not risk a two-front war with WindClan. She will leave WindClan to focus on us for the time being, and WindClan and ShadowClan will be evenly matched. It is the only choice I could have made, for ThunderClan. We will be outnumbered, it is true, but I have no doubt that the valiant cats I have here will see us through." She bowed her head as she spoke. The Clan murmured in assent.

"When will we speak with RiverClan?" Snowflight asked.

"Soon, before they plan to attack WindClan," Brightstar replied. "We will need their decision by the half moon." She closed her eyes, and suddenly seemed very weary, tired even, as she sprang off of the HighRock. Tigerstripe turned, searching for Foxfire, but his gaze landed upon Batpaw instead.

"Batpaw," he said quietly, padding forward to sit beside the medicine apprentice.

"Yes?" Batpaw said, without the bite his voice usually carried.

"I saw you, when ShadowClan left…you seemed almost as if you were going to join them. What happened?"

"They're my Clan, Tigerstripe," Batpaw said in a pained voice. "I grew up there. I'm supposed to be loyal to them…when they declared war, it was obvious they needed me, and I should be helping them before you. One of my Clan-mates insulted me as ShadowClan left…asking where my loyalties truly were…and I didn't know the answer." His voice broke, as the turmoil within him became obvious. "I should remain true to ShadowClan, I know that. But…my heart says different." His eyes rested on Whitefeather, who was speaking to Lionstorm, as he spoke.

"You love her," Tigerstripe said; it wasn't a question. Batpaw simply closed his eyes.

"If I leave now, I'll be a medicine cat from another Clan," he said slowly. "But even if I stay here, we can't be together…."

Tigerstripe laid his tail on Batpaw's shoulder. "It isn't in the warrior code," he said quietly, "and honestly, if love is real, I don't see how StarClan can say no. You love her, Batpaw, and even if you are a medicine cat, I know it won't come between you and your duties, just like a leader's mate won't come between him and his duties. I think as long as you put your medicine cat life first…StarClan will turn a blind eye to your love life."

Batpaw blinked at him for a moment. "You're older, aren't you," he said finally. "You aren't the silly apprentice that showed me around the territory before." He heaved a large sigh and turned, walking away into the medicine cat den without another word.


	67. Chapter 65: Love and Hate

**AN:**

**Ally: Yuppers, it's a puzzle. ;)**

**JTora: Thank you! And sorry, I can't say. ;)**

**Warriors06: xD**

**N/N: Ya do, eh? Interesting. **

**Shelly: Yay, new reader! And thanks, I luffles everything about Batpaw (especially when he went off on Viperfang for accusing Silvermist of killing Cinderfur). And yup, silly Foxy. xD**

**GinnyStar: Thanks!**

**Lynxeye: Yuppers, things are getting troublesome. I think the other Clans always thought that relying on the barn would be like relying on Twolegs, since the mice are there because of the Twolegs. However, just as ThunderClan had to learn to fish to adapt, WindClan has adapted to use the barn. And thank you!**

**Rhavis: Tell who to read the ANs? xD Although, what I realized is that if JTora is reading the AN's, s/he won't see the replies unless s/he catches up, therefore I can't spoil anything for him/her with them. Silly me. And thanks, I sure hope it is!**

**Heatherflower: I think you've said all that needs to be said. ;)**

65

Tigerstripe watched Batpaw go, feeling faintly troubled, until he felt a warm tongue on his ear.

"It's been a rough night," Foxfire purred into his ear. "Let's go to bed."

* * *

_Tigerstar stood before him, his amber eyes unreadable as he gazed upon Tigerstripe._

"_What is it now?" Tigerstripe growled. Tigerstar stepped to one side, and two Tigerstar replicas became visible._

"_The final battle is at hand," Tigerstar rumbled. "I've had to put aside my own displeasure with several of your choices; you will need all of the strength you can muster for the war."_

_With that, one of the replicas padded forward and touched noses with Tigerstripe._

"_With this life, I give you love," the replica murmured. For once, Tigerstripe wasn't filled with pain; rather, it was a sort of slow glow that began in his chest and spread out through his body, the glow he felt whenever he thought of Foxfire. He could almost hear her in his ear…._

He saw the golden she-cat for the first time, a lively kit playing with her siblings.

"Which one is she?" he whispered to a dappled cat that he somehow knew was his mother, Leopardfoot.

"That's Goldenkit," his mother murmured. "A fine young kit….

He was watching Goldenkit become Goldenpaw, her eyes glittering with pride and ambition. He wanted to introduce himself, but he didn't dare….

He was stalking through the deep forest, creeping up on a mouse. Suddenly, he lunged, but at the same time, another cat lunged for the mouse as well. They knocked heads, and both cats let out hisses of pain. His eyes widened as he saw it was Goldenpaw that he had ran into.

"I'm so sorry!" he squeaked. She simply smiled at him, and shook her head, before brushing past him. He breathed in her sweet scent….

"You will be known as Goldenflower," he heard the leader declare, and he was the first to shout her new name. "Goldenflower! Goldenflower!" She turned to him, eyes aglow….

"I love you," he breathed, as she lay beside him in the moonlight. She smiled and whispered,

"I love you too….."

He was staring down at young Bramblekit and Tawnykit, his heart rejoicing. They were his kits. His golden kits….

"You exiled from our Clan!" Bluestar declared. The cats he had once thought of as his friends advanced upon him, snarling. He backed away, throwing out insults and warnings, before turning to leave ThunderClan forever. He saw Goldenflower looking on wordlessly, his beautiful kits huddled near her paws….

"_Goldenflower was the only cat I ever loved," Tigerstar said softly. "Now there is another, this Foxfire…descendant of Firestar."_

_Tigerstripe was feeling shaken. All of the defiance he had felt towards Tigerstar, the idea that Tigerstar was pure evil…that had been shattered. There was no cat that could be both evil and have room in his heart for that much love._

_Tigerstar glanced at the other replica. "You will gain another life tonight," he said quietly, and the replica padded forward, touching noses with Tigerstripe._

"_With this life, I give you revenge," the replica said, and there was almost a hiss to his voice. Tigerstripe was wracked with pain, and a terrible hatred; not fiery and passionate as the hatred he felt for Firestar. This one was different, a slow-acting ice spreading through his body….._

"Get the trespasser," a cat, his mentor, Thistleclaw, snarled. He grunted in reply and sprang forward at the tiny black cat with blue eyes that huddled in front of him.

"Please," the cat squeaked; he was barely more than a kit. "Please, I didn't know…."

"Shut up," he spat, enjoying the fear in the little cat's eyes….

"That's Scourge? That tiny cat?" He exclaimed with surprised. The cat beside him, a gray tabby, nodded nervously.

"He's small, but a fierce and cunning fighter," the cat, Boulder, said anxiously. "Don't upset him."

As he approached Scourge, he felt a dim prickle of recollection, but pushed it away. This was not the time….

"Agreed," Scourge said, in a high voice like the splintering of ice. "We will fight with TigerClan." Again, his memory prickled, but he couldn't quite remember….

"Attack!" he yowled, but BloodClan remained frozen. He swung his head around to glare at them. "What are you doing? Attack!"

"They only listen to me, not you," Scourge growled. "I'm their leader."

"I'll kill you, then," he grunted, and sprang forward. Scourge moved like lightning, and for once in his life, Tigerstar was too slow. He felt a terrible pain as Scourge's reinforced claws sliced him apart. He collapsed on the ground, his blood gushing out into the earth, letting out wails of agony as he died again…and again…and again...until finally the pain ended.

_Tigerstripe reeled with shock, and almost collapsed. His mind felt bruised and confused. Love and hatred…together in the same body…how could this be so?_

_Tigerstar watched him, without a hint of pity in his eyes. "These lives will give you strength during the battle," he growled. "By the end, you will be deputy. And you will receive the final life then."_

"_How do you know?" Tigerstripe asked, but Tigerstar ignored his question and began padding away. The forest faded without either of them saying another word._


	68. Chapter 66: Batpaw's Choice

**AN:**

**GinnyStar: Thanks as usual. :D**

**N/N: Wow, you're…very happy. 0.o You're one of my favorite people I don't know too, I guess. xD But…but…I'm updating as quickly as I can, honest! D:**

66

Tigerstripe awoke, his side heaving, quivering slightly from his mixed confusions and fear.

_Once the war is over, I'll be deputy? _Tigerstripe thought. _Then…is Duskclaw going to die? Who else is going to die? _He was suddenly struck by a deep fear. He glanced over at Foxfire and watched her sides rise and fall for a moment, as if to convince himself that she was real. He let out a quiet sigh and rested his head on his paws once more, but did not go back to sleep.

* * *

The next day, Brightstar chose the warriors that would accompany her to RiverClan. Tigerstripe was not chosen, but he didn't have to be; Whitefeather was, and she was sure to tell everyone what had gone on. Sure enough, when Brightstar and the other warriors returned near the end of the day, Whitefeather looked troubled.

"They'll say no," Whitefeather said, sitting down with the small group of younger warriors. "Brightstar knew they would from the beginning, it was obvious; I think this way she just wants to alert them, to get the pressure off of WindClan before RiverClan attacks them." Her golden eyes were troubled. "After the half moon, it is going to be an all-out war."

"We can beat them," Lionstorm said with confidence.

"I'm sure we can," Batpaw replied, "but the question is, at what cost?"

Tigerstripe turned to Batpaw. He had been looking a bit nervous all day, and when Whitefeather had returned, he looked even more nervous than before. Tigerstripe blinked at him, but said nothing, not wanting to draw attention to it.

Foxfire frowned. "That's true," she said slowly. "I mean, we have plenty of warriors now…but in a war against RiverClan plus those other cats, we might lose more than we gain."

While they were talking, Batpaw nipped Whitefeather's flank gently, and motioned something. He and Whitefeather padded away together, into the forest, leaving the other three warriors vaguely puzzled.

"What's going on? Where is she going with him?" Lionstorm growled rising to his paws.

"Relax," Tigerstripe said. "I think he's…going to do the right thing."

Lionstorm gave Tigerstripe a puzzled glance, and then sat down, his large shoulders twitching with discomfort. "He had better not hurt her."

"You know Batpaw better than that," Foxfire chided him. "They'll be back soon enough."

It was some time later that Batpaw and Whitefeather returned, but once they did, Whitefeather's eyes were shining with pure joy. Batpaw disappeared into Brightstar's den, and Brightstar came out after him some time later, a slight smile curling her muzzle.

"I did what you suggested," Batpaw murmured to Tigerstripe as they passed him, quietly enough so that no other cat could hear. Brightstar leaped onto the HighRock.

"Batpaw has told me something that ThunderClan should hear," she declared, after calling the Clan together.

Batpaw stood, and raised his chin. "I was once a ShadowClan cat," he said, his voice ringing over the camp. "I once believed in ShadowClan, once considered myself one of them, once wanted to be nothing more than ShadowClan's medicine cat…until, one day, I was brought to ThunderClan. At first, I'll admit, I was unhappy; but I've since warmed to ThunderClan. I've made friends and allies here, and I consider you all my Clanmates." He bowed his head. "I have made my decision…to remain in ThunderClan."

Several cats cheered, and others said nothing, but even Viperfang seemed almost pleased.

"ThunderClan welcomes you, Batpaw, and we are proud to have a noble cat like yourself with us," Brightstar said. "You are now ThunderClan's medicine cat. However, now I believe a ceremony is in order." Batpaw raised his head, looking surprised.

"Batpaw, your mentor is not here to speak for you now, but I will in her place. I, Brightstar, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the way of a medicine cat, and with your help he will serve his Clan for many moons. Batpaw, do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to stand apart from rivalry between Clan and Clan, and to protect all cats equally, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Batpaw meowed

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your true name as medicine cat. Batpaw, from this moment forward you will be known as Batflight, for your speed of body as well as mind. StarClan honors you and we welcome you as a full medicine cat of ThunderClan."

Batflight licked Brightstar's shoulder respectfully and then turned to the Clan, his eyes burning with pride.

"Batflight!" Whitefeather exclaimed, and ran forward to touch noses with him.

"Batflight! Batflight! Batflight!" the Clan chanted. Brightstar sprang off of the HighRock, looking pleased as Batflight padded into his den with Whitefeather behind him.

"At least something good has come of our struggles with RiverClan," Foxfire said quietly, laying her tail on Tigerstripe's.

"Yeah," Tigerstripe said quietly, and his ears flattened slightly. "But if Whitefeather gets hurt…." He trailed off and shook himself mentally. There was still hope. Maybe…maybe RiverClan would relent after all.

* * *

The days to the half moon grew closer and closer, and when ThunderClan patrols padded near WindClan and ShadowClan territory, they found that no battle had taken place yet. Perhaps WindClan and ShadowClan were attempting to work things out, now that RiverClan wasn't with ShadowClan. Or, perhaps they were waiting for the half moon to attack as well. Only time would tell, and it seemed as if that was the thing Tigerstripe had the least of.

The night before the half moon, Tigerstripe was on edge. He had chosen to sit outside the warrior's den, staring up at the waxing moon, praying that StarClan would intervene somehow, that there would be no war.

"Tigerstripe?" he heard Foxfire whisper, and he turned. Foxfire was there, standing in the entrance. She padded over and sat beside him. "What are you doing?" she asked with a slight shiver. "It's cold." Although it was newleaf, leaf-bare hadn't quite let go of them yet. All of the ice and snow had melted days ago, and the plants were beginning to grow again, but there was still a slight chill to the air.

"Tomorrow, we'll be at war," Tigerstripe said quietly. "We might even battle tomorrow. What then? We'll all be at risk. Some of us will die." He gazed up at the moon. "This could be our last night together."

Foxfire pressed her pelt against his, and gave him a wink. "We should make this night count then, huh?" she whispered, and stood.

"What do you mean?" Tigerstripe asked with a frown. Foxfire simply smiled, and padded towards the camp exit.

"You'll see what I mean," she whispered, and Tigerstripe realized with a jolt that they wouldn't be sleeping on what might be their last night together.

**AN: *coughs quietly* Hope you get what I was getting at…I'm not gonna spell it out and I don't approve of being really graphic, so this is as close as you'll get to any of that. xD**


	69. Chapter 67: Looming War

**AN:**

**Shelley: Yuppers, ever since he first had a crush on White, I knew he was going to stay. It was just a matter of picking when he decided to. And he is a little older than the rest of them (considering that he joined the Clan about a moon after Tigerpaw was apprenticed, and he was already considered experienced enough to train a potential medicine cat, he's probably about six moons older than the rest of them) but six moons isn't a long time, really, considering that most cats aren't considered "old" until they are about seven years old. He's a lot more…**_**mature, **_**I guess, but Whitefeather can get him to lighten up by being a bit silly now and again. ;)**

**Cinderpaw: Er…yes, of **_**course**_** they're going to make cookies. xD**

**Ally: I'm not sure how long he's been with them, since I can't remember how old Tigerpaw was when he joined, and I've stopped counting how old Tigerstripe is now, too. xD**

**GinnyStar: "Enjoy" themselves. ;) Thanks!**

**N/N: Glad you still love me, I still love you too! xD**

**Featherheart: Aww. Sorry your life is boring. xD I'm hurrying, honest.**

**Wolfstorm: Super-speed fingers, activate! And maybe, maybe not. :O**

67

Tigerstripe awoke the next morning with Foxfire at his side. He felt blissfully at peace, and smiled as he sat up, hitting his head against the low ceiling of the den they were in. He frowned, glancing around, and the smell of long-gone badger wafted into his nose. Everything came rushing back to him in a blur of sounds, smells, colors, and feelings. He smiled down at Foxfire, still sleeping peacefully. She was beautiful, lying there so still. He licked her cheek, and she moved slightly, blinking up at him and yawning.

"Good morning, beautiful," he murmured, pressing his nose into her fur. "Come on, let's get back to camp. We'll be missed."

"Do we have to?" Foxfire asked, licking his nose, but she uncurled and stood as well, following him out of the den. Nearby, the stream gurgled, as if wishing them good morning as well.

They padded back to camp together, tails entwined. Once they entered, Brightstar padded towards them.

"Had a good night, did you?" she asked. There was no anger in her voice, and there was a slight twinkle in her eye. "Tigerstripe, I must speak with you."

Tigerstripe nodded, and pressed his pelt against Foxfire's, before padding after Brightstar into her den. He hoped she wouldn't ask him about his ventures last night, and to his relief, she did nothing of the sort.

"Minnowpaw has been training for some time now," Brightstar said. Tigerstripe frowned; Stormpaw and Creekpaw were still early in their training. Then, he remembered that Minnowpaw had been apprenticed early, in RiverClan. It was the day of the half moon, so she had been an apprentice for five and a half moons, very close to the six moons all apprentices were required to train.

"I was thinking she should be a warrior soon," Brightstar continued. Tigerstripe's eyes widened.

"But…today is the day we'll declare war," he said, "and she hasn't been t Highstones yet!"

"I'm sure the battle will take place tomorrow," Brightstar said smoothly. "War may be declared one day, but battles might not happen until the next few; you'll learn that in time. I believe Minnowpaw is ready, and we need every warrior we can find for our cause."

_That wasn't our last night together, after all, _Tigerstripe realized, _but even if we had known that, I would have made the same choice._

Tigerstripe nodded. "Should I tell her?" he asked.

Brightstar flicked her tail. "Simply say that after we meet with Streamstar, she and her siblings will be traveling to Highstones; it is simpler if they all go at the same time."

Tigerstripe nodded. "Thank you, Brightstar," he said, before leaving her den to find Minnowpaw.

* * *

"Highstones?" Minnowpaw squeaked, her eyes wide. "So, am I going to be a warrior soon?"

"I can't tell you that," Tigerstripe reminded her, "but…you're getting close."

Minnowpaw's eyes shone. "I'll tell Stormpaw and Creekpaw," she promised, before dashing off in search of them.

"Sounds like you had a fun night," Batflight said, coming out of his den. Tigerstripe turned to him, and then blushed underneath his dark fur.

"You could say that," Tigerstripe said. Batflight's eyes found Whitefeather, eating a vole.

"She's so beautiful," Batflight said softly, and then turned to Tigerstripe. "You were a fool for telling her no…but I do appreciate it."

Tigerstripe blinked, and Batflight simply chuckled and returned to his den.

* * *

Around sunhigh, Brightstar called the Clan together, choosing who would come and who would stay. Again, Tigerstripe was not chosen, but it did not bother him; the meeting was a waste of time anyway, if the battle would start at some other time.

"How does war happen?" Minnowpaw asked, coming to sit beside him. "I mean, do the cats just pick a time and go at it, or what?"

"Sometimes," Tigerstripe replied. "Other times, it depends on the issue at paw. With this battle…I'm not sure. The most likely thing is that both Clans will choose to attack at dawn, or something like that, and meet each other advancing to battle. If we rally first, we might be over the river before battle happens, but if they do, we might be fighting on Sunningrocks."

Minnowpaw nodded slowly. "It sounds scary," she said quietly, resting her head on her paws. "All of that bloodshed and stuff, I mean."

Tigerstripe nodded. "It's what has to be done, though, to protect our Clan from them," he sighed. "Streamstar won't stop until she is satisfied; I'm sure she wants to wipe out ThunderClan completely."

"But what if she won't stop, even if we are winning the war?" Minnowpaw pressed. "What then?"

"RiverClan would be destroyed, and ThunderClan would be fragile, I suppose," Tigerstripe answered. :I guess…I think we might end up having to kill Streamstar in order to make her stop before she destroys her own Clan."


	70. Chapter 68: Last Words

**AN:**

**Rhavis: xD You made me think of Brightstar lurking outside their den at night, or something. No, it is just that one cat saw them leaving camp together late at night, and word spread. No spying. xD Pfft, I can't tell you who is gonna die. And compared to some of my earlier works, this is me being **_**nice.**_

**Lynxeye: Can't promise nothin'. ;)**

**Wolfstorm: Indeed. :D**

**GinnyStar: Thank you! :D**

**Warriors06: An absolutely wonderful game of checkers. :D**

**LittleSpark: Indeed**

**Cinderpaw: Yummy delicious cookies. 0.o**

**Foxleap: Thank you!**

**N/N: Just a tiny one. The one to this chapter is even worse! :D**

68

Brightstar's party left soon after they had been chosen, and returned hours before dusk. She announced that RiverClan had indeed refused peace, and that it was official; they were now at war with RiverClan.

"ThunderClan, we cannot allow this war to drag on," she declared. "RiverClan depends on the river for food, and since it has been frozen so often these moons past, they are weak. They will only grow in strength as the war goes on and their fish return to them. Tomorrow, at dawn, we will strike them with every cat we have."

She raised her chin towards the sky proudly. "Every warrior and apprentice will go into battle tomorrow," she said. "If they attack camp, there will be no one here but the elders, and even Streamstar would not dare hurt them, or take them prisoner. We will crush RiverClan, and claim victory over them once and for all!" Her voice rose into a yowl as she spoke, and ThunderClan cheered below her, ready for the coming war.

Brightstar sprang off of the HighRock. "Tigerstripe, Minnowpaw, Stormpaw, Creekpaw, come," she said, flicking her tail towards Batflight's den. "We must move as quickly as possible if we want to return in time for battle tomorrow."

Tigerstripe nodded, and he and Minnowpaw padded into the medicine cat den. Batflight already had a packet of herbs ready for each of them. Tigerstripe winced slightly at the bitter taste, but there was no chance to dwell on it, for Brightstar was already leading the apprentices out of camp. Tigerstripe hurried to catch up.

"Be wary," Brightstar said under her breath. "We'll be going through WindClan at the moment; ShadowClan won't be happy that we didn't join them in their war against WindClan, and when they find out that Batflight is staying here, they will be displeased. They haven't fought yet; I believe their battle might be at dawn tomorrow, just as ours will be."

Tigerstripe nodded slowly, but couldn't help tensing as they went over the WindClan border. The group moved at a swift pace, almost a run, eager to go and return home as quickly as they could.

They passed the barn without pausing to rest there, and continued across the Thunderpath to Highstones. Minnowpaw let out an exciting squeak, seeing the rocky hill rise in front of them impressively.

"We're here," Tigerstripe said with a smile, as they padded up to Mothermouth. Brightstar went inside to speak with StarClan, probably about the up-coming battle. Tigerstripe stayed with the apprentices, partly to make sure they weren't afraid of being alone in a strange place, and partly because for once, he felt no need to speak with his father. There was nothing strange in the long-term, surely. Sure, he didn't know what the dead foe and old foe was about, but that wouldn't come around for at least a moon…hopefully.

Brightstar re-appeared minutes later, looking a bit troubled. She said nothing, however, simply began padding down away from Mothermouth.

"Hurry," was all she said. Above them, the sun was beginning to sink down towards the horizon.

* * *

The sun was very nearly gone by the time they returned to camp. Minnowpaw, Stormpaw, and Creekpaw were all weary, and heading towards their den. Brightstar glanced at Tigerstripe, and flicked her tail, leading him back towards her den.

"Minnowpaw will not become a warrior tonight," she said with a quiet sigh. "She does deserve it, I agree, but asking her to sit vigil tonight and fight tomorrow would be too cruel. If all goes well, she will become a warrior after this battle."

Tigerstripe nodded. "I was afraid she would be tired after her vigil…I guess I don't have to worry," he said with a slight smile. "I'll make sure she returns from the battle safely."

Brightstar smiled at him. "I'm sure you will."

* * *

"Well?" Foxfire prompted as Tigerstripe left Brightstar's den. "Are they going to be warriors?"

"Eventually, yes," Tigerstripe said with a smile. "Minnowpaw will be a warrior tomorrow…if everything goes well."

"It will," Foxfire said with confidence. "ThunderClan is in the right, here. Surely StarClan will see that."

"Mmm," was all Tigerstripe said, looking up at the sky. The stars were beginning to peek out at them. _StarClan, let ThunderClan make it through this, _he prayed.

* * *

Brightstar let out a loud yowl the next morning, before the dawn had even come. Grumbled, warriors filed out of their den, as did the apprentices.

"Today is the day," Brightstar announced. "Today, we will fight RiverClan. Today, we shall be victorious. Today, StarClan will smile down upon us."

"I don't think this even qualifies as 'today' yet," Lionstorm grumbled under his breath nearby.

"We will all fight today," Brightstar said, "we will fight for ThunderClan, for our families, for our Clanmates. Not…not all of you will return today; I might very well be leading some of you to your deaths. I know this. You know this. But I am confident in all of you, and I am confident you all will make it to StarClan, if you die in battle today."

Together, all of ThunderClan bowed their heads, all of them praying to StarClan at the same time. Almost as one creature, they all raised their heads.

"I'll give us all a moment," Brightstar said quietly, and sprang off of the HighRock. Tigerstripe blinked, feeling confused. Then, as cats began sharing tongues with each other, he realized what was going on. ThunderClan knew not everyone would survive this battle…so old friends were saying their goodbyes, in case they didn't meet again.

Tigerstripe hesitated, wondering who he would talk to. It was strange, this feeling inside of him; a longing, almost, a wish that everyone could live, that everyone could be fine, that things like this would never have to happen.

There was a quiet cough behind him, and he turned. Firestorm was there, blinking at him with warm green eyes.

"Hello, Tigerstripe," he said quietly.

"Hello," Tigerstripe said uncertainly.

"I…." Firestorm sighed quietly. "You've grown into a great cat, Tigerstripe. I'm proud that I mentored Whitefeather, and you, to an extent."

"I know Whitefeather always loved having you as a mentor," Tigerstripe replied. Firestorm nodded.

"If I don't…come back…." Firestorm closed his eyes. "I want you to look after my daughter. Take care of her. Please."

"I will," Tigerstripe said. "I will always be there to take care of her."

Firestorm smiled at him, a bit sadly, and the nodded, getting to his paws. Tigerstripe glanced around, and paused for a moment, seeing Batflight make his way to Whitefeather. Batflight glanced around, as if to make sure no one was watching, before he whispered something into her ear. Whitefeather smiled, and licked his cheek, and tucked her head under his chin, resting her head near his chest as if listening to his heart beat.

Lionstorm was saying something to Creekpaw, and Foxfire was now speaking with her father. Tigerstripe looked down at his paws; he didn't have a father to talk to.

"Tigerstripe," a low voice said, causing him to turn. He blinked, and then smiled at his mother. She smiled back, but she looked almost sad. She took a step forward, slowly, and then moved forward very quickly to bury her face in his fur.

"You've gotten so big," she said her voice cracking. "I've been watching you, and I've been so proud...but war doesn't care who you are, battles don't care, they'll kill you just the same...." She trailed off and just sat there for a moment. Tigerstripe blinked, and then licked her shoulder.

"I'll be fine, Mother," he said. "I won't die in battle, today. I promise."

Dapplefur drew back, her eyes round. "I know," she said quietly, and looked at her paws. "You're not just my baby anymore, you're a big strong cat who can take care of himself...."

"That's true," Tigerstripe said gently, "but I'm your baby still, too." He pressed his pelt against his, and laid his head against her chest, listening to the heartbeat that had soothed him for so many moons.

They sat there like that, together, until Brightstar let out a yowl, calling the Clan together again.

"And now," she said, her tail held high, "we go to war."

**AN: **

**You might have noticed that I've changed the ending a bit; I like this one much better, it shows how he has progressed from a little whiny kit who wanted nothing to do with his mother, to a much older cat who still realizes that he loves his mother as much as she loves him. **

**Awww.  
**


	71. Chapter 69: Surprise in Battle

**AN:**

**Ally: This reply is a little late, but thank you, and yes, Streamstar is like Brokenstar. I guess you could say that Clay's group is a mixture between BloodClan and the rogue cats that used to follow Brokenstar. **

**WarriorLuver: I've got one planned. ;)**

**Ally (again): I can't say how many will die, but several will…including one of my favorites. *sighs*And Dapplefur? Crap, forgot about her. She hasn't been important lately…I might go back and edit that chapter so that she at least talks to him. xD**

**Ultraviolet: Wow, thank-you! You didn't need to stay up that long, though, I promise it will always be here when you wake up. xD Good thing you didn't get in trouble, or I'd feel guilty. Thanks some more, and I do try to update plenty. :D**

**N/N: Don't cry. I'm writing as fast as I can. D:**

**Cinderpaw: I don't think that will happen. 0.o Shield your eyes, Cinderpaw! The cookies were a lie! D:**

69

There was a cry let out among the cats of ThunderClan, and Brightstar led them out of camp, with Duskclaw at her side. ThunderClan raced towards Sunningrocks, and idly Tigerstripe wondered if RiverClan could hear them coming, the rumble of a hundred paws towards their camp, like thunder rolling in the clouds above.

The sun was rising, casting a dim light over the forest. Up ahead, they saw the faint glow of eyes on the other side of the river; RiverClan had arrived, and they were waiting, knowing it was too late to stop ThunderClan coming over the river now.

ThunderClan warriors streamed over the stepping stones, some cats leaping into the water upstream of the stones, in case they were swept away by the water, swimming over the bank.

"Streamstar!" Brightstar snarled, standing on the opposite bank. "ThunderClan is here, and we are not going anywhere! We give you one last chance to relent!"

Streamstar's face was twisted in a vicious snarl. "RiverClan will never back down!" she hissed."RiverClan, attack!"

Suddenly, the cats that were swimming over the bank were face-to-face with RiverClan warriors, some behind plunged under the water before they could even begin to fight.

"Get to the bank!" Brightstar ordered. "We must all get across the river!"

ThunderClan warriors began springing at the RiverClan warriors on the bank, knocking them down so that their comrades in the river could get their paws back on dry land and begin fighting as well. Howls and screams soon filled the air. Tigerstripe felt the familiar rage well up inside of him, as Tigerstar howled for blood. He let it fill him and sprang forward, snarling, slicing the muzzle of a large RiverClan tom. He and the tom began circling each other, both bristling, seeing who was the stronger of the two. Without warning, Tigerstripe leaped forward, digging his claws into the dark tom's chest and back, while his teeth sought his throat. The tom struggled underneath Tigerstripe, but there was nothing he could do; Tigerstripe's teeth had found his pulse. For a moment, Tigerstripe hesitated, but the Tigerstar within him made him bite down. The tom's cries became a wet gurgle, and soon stopped all together, as Tigerstripe dropped the body. Tigerstripe spat out a mouthful of the enemy's blood. It was kill or be killed; this was war. Streamstar wasn't following the warrior code, and thus to win, ThunderClan wouldn't either.

He launched himself into the fray again moments later, spitting and snarling at a dappled she-cat. She hissed back, and then paused for a moment, and her eyes widened.

"You're that apprentice," she breathed. Tigerstripe sprang forward, pinning her down.

"What apprentice?" he hissed.

"T-the one with Silvermist," the she-cat stammered, not even trying to struggle. "The one who carried Minnowkit here."

Tigerstripe's eyes widened. "You're…Raindapple?" he asked. Raindapple nodded slowly.

"I can't fight a friend of Silvermist's," she said quietly. "We were best friends, practically sisters growing up. I could see she was close to you just that night alone, and Minnowkit…." She trailed off and closed her eyes. "Do what you will to me; I deserve it, for letting her be exiled, for stealing her kits back to RiverClan…."

Tigerstripe hesitated for a fraction of a second, and then let her go. "Fight for your Clan," he said quietly, "just don't fight me." He turned his back on her, knowing he could be making a mistake. There was a quiet sound, and when Tigerstripe turned, Raindapple was gone.

Tigerstripe pounced on another she-cat instead, and the two of them fought viciously, clawing and slashing whatever they could reach, pinning each other down and being pinned repeatedly. She scored a slash over one eye, and the blood from it made it almost impossible for Tigerstripe to see, let alone fight. He shook his head, sending blood flying, and slashed all the way down her stomach. She let out a shrill cry and wiggled out from under his paws, fleeing back in the direction of camp.

Feeling almost smug, Tigerstripe turned, moving his head quickly as he glanced around to keep the blood out of his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw a familiar flash of white, ginger, and black, before he felt claws dig deep into his back. Tigerstripe let out a howl and twisted, trying to roll over, but only succeeded in digging the claws deeper.

"You've grown, ThunderClan whelp," a familiar voice, the voice of Splashpelt, hissed into his ear. "My, you're a big cat now. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall…." She bit down onto the back of his neck, mostly grabbing fur in her mouth, before pulling back. It felt as if she was ripping the very skin from his neck. Tigerstripe let out a yowl of pain, but he couldn't move, lest he worsen his injuries. Suddenly, he heard a familiar cry, as something dashed into Splashpelt, knocking her to the ground. He heard the sounds of a scuffle, Splashpelt hissing insults, until she let out a loud cry, becoming a gurgle, and then went silent. Tigerstripe got to his paws shakily, and turned, letting out a surprised cry.

"Blackheart!" he exclaimed.

Blackheart was looking down at Splashpelt's body, panting, her claws still in the calico's throat. "Tigerstripe," she grunted, and let out a low growl. "Filth," she said, removing her claws and shaking the blood off of them. "Are you alright?"

"I guess," Tigerstripe said, wincing slightly. "I don't understand, though….Why are you here?"

Blackheart shook her head. "You'll find out after the battle, I expect Swiftstar or Darkstar will tell Brightstar…focus, Tigerstripe. There's no room for a confused fighter here." She winked at him. "I'll see you later," she said, before she disappeared into the battle. Looking around, Tigerstripe went rigid with surprise; sure enough, WindClan and ShadowClan cats were fighting as well. But they weren't fighting each other…they were fighting RiverClan!

**AN: Surprise!**

**Also, edited the last chapter a bit to include Dapplefur, if you want to glance at it again~ Thanks, Ally.  
**


	72. Chapter 70: Swiftpaw's Final Choice

70

The battle continued as it had before, but suddenly, it seemed much easier. Most of Tigerstripe's new opponents had already been wounded by some other cat, and it was easy to send them fleeing. The only ones who would not run were Clay's group; they refused to give up or give in, no matter how much damage they had sustained. Tigerstripe was forced to kill each and every one of them he fought; he stopped killing RiverClan cats, however, preferring to at least let them run away if that is what they chose to do.

Then, suddenly, Clay sprang up on top of a large boulder in the middle of the battlefield.

"We agreed to fight for you, not die for you, Streamstar!" she yowled over the roar of battle. "To me, my warriors! Retreat!"

The tom that Tigerstripe had been grappling with threw him off suddenly, and began running away, following Clay as she disappeared into the forest.

"Traitor!" Streamstar howled, her eyes burning with the blood-lust and battle, looking half crazed. "Traitor!"

There were fewer and fewer cats to battle now, Tigerstripe realized with relief, and for a moment he simply stood still, looking over the battlefield. His eyes widened as he saw a gray-and-white cat facing off against a tom nearly double her size.

"Minnowpaw!" Tigerstripe exclaimed, rushing forward. The tom sprang at her, but Minnowpaw flattened herself to the ground, and the tom went flying over her. Minnowpaw turned onto her back just in time to rake her claws down his stomach as he went over, so that he collapsed in a heap. Minnowpaw sprang onto his back, ripping and tearing at it, only springing off when he howled in surrender, before fleeing.

"Minnowpaw," Tigerstripe called again, but it was more of a cheer as he struggled to get to her side. Her ear was torn and her nose was bleeding, but aside from that and several scratches she seemed mostly unharmed.

Then, a nearly identical cat stepped forward to take the tom's place. Tigerstripe's heart sank, as he realized it was Swiftpaw.

"I'll handle her," he growled to Minnowpaw as he came to stand beside her.

"No," Minnowpaw said, and her eyes narrowed.

"Minnowpaw," Swiftpaw spat.

"Swiftpaw," Minnowpaw replied, but there was no anger to her voice. "What are you doing, fighting your Clanmates?"

"They aren't my Clanmates anymore," Swiftpaw said evenly, and began circling Minnowpaw. Minnowpaw stood still, although Tigerstripe tensed.

"Mother loves you," Minnowpaw said quietly. "She was so disappointed you didn't come home too…she loved us, Swiftpaw. We were wrong. She gave us up because she had to, she thought we belonged together, and she knew Stormpaw and Creekpaw were too strong. They wouldn't give in to Streamstar, and she would have killed them."

"She should have fought for us!" Swiftpaw hissed.

"She wanted to spare ThunderClan! She wouldn't let cats die so that she could keep us!" Minnowpaw retorted. "She loved you. I know she did."

"I don't care," Swiftpaw said, but her eyes were clouded. "I don't believe you."

"You do," Minnowpaw whispered, her blue eyes gentle. "You know in your heart she loved you, and you loved her too. You may live in RiverClan now, you may even be happy there, but it doesn't mean we have to fight each other. You don't have to fight ThunderClan."

"Silvermist loved you, I know she did. Creekpaw nearly tore her head off when she found out, and Stormpaw missed you too," Tigerstripe said. "Both of you."

"You helped her!" Swiftpaw hissed. "You betrayed us too!"

"I did what Silvermist requested; I didn't want to, but she was your mother and she did what she thought was best. If RiverClan couldn't have you, they were prepared to kill you to make sure ThunderClan couldn't," Tigerstripe said. "Look at it from her point of view. What was she supposed to do?"

"Fight for us!" Swiftpaw declared.

"She wouldn't sacrifice other cats for you!" Tigerstripe hissed. "She wouldn't risk losing all of ThunderClan for two kits! I know she wanted to because she cared for you, but she couldn't make ThunderClan do that for her."

"I…." Swiftpaw faltered for a moment. "She…."

Minnowpaw hesitated, and then took a step forward, licking her sister's cheek.

"I love you, Swiftpaw," she said. "I'm not going to fight you."

"I…." Swiftpaw closed her eyes. "I can't fight you either." She bowed her head. "Mother…did she really…love me?"

"She loves you all equally," Tigerstripe assured her. Swiftpaw blinked at him.

"Thank you, Unke," she said quietly, before getting to her paws. "I'll run back to camp. Our medicine cat will be happy with an extra pair of paws to help her take care of the wounded. I won't fight ThunderClan today."

Minnowpaw smiled at her. "Sisters?" she asked.

"Sisters," Swiftpaw nodded, and got to her paws. She took off, running back towards RiverClan camp. For a moment, it seemed as if she would make it, as if the story would have a happy ending. But life doesn't give out happy endings freely.

"Swiftpaw!" Streamstar's voice exclaimed, and Streamstar charged forward, coming out of almost nowhere to tackle the apprentice.

"S-Streamstar!" Swiftpaw stuttered. "I-I was just going back to camp…to help…."

"You were running away!" Streamstar snarled. "I saw you with the enemy!"

"I'm sorry, Streamstar!" Swiftpaw shrank to the ground, pressing her belly to it with fear. "I'm sorry!"

"No apprentice of mine is weak!" Streamstar roared. "No apprentice of mine will flee a battle! You traitor!"

"Streamstar, please," Swiftpaw pleaded, her voice shrill with panic. "You don't understand, I—" Her voice was cut off as Streamstar picked her up by the neck, and began swinging her viciously. Swiftpaw was screaming, until there was a loud cracking sound. Swiftpaw's limp body fell to the ground. Streamstar stared at it a moment, before turning and walking away.

"Swiftpaw!" Minnowpaw screamed, running forward. "Swiftpaw!"

"Swiftpaw!" Minnowpaw's cry was echoed by her mother, racing towards her fallen child. "Oh, Swiftpaw…."

Tigerstripe approached slowly. Minnowpaw buried her face in her sister's fur, cries wracking her body. Silvermist was licking Swiftpaw's broken little body. Swiftpaw was still alive, somehow, but the life in her blue-green eyes was fading quickly.

"I always loved you, Swiftpaw," Silvermist whispered. "Always. I never forgot about you, I never gave up on you, I never stopped loving you. Do you understand? Never."

A slight smile crawled its way painfully onto Swiftpaw's muzzle, even as the light in her eyes faded, and her breathing stopped completely.

"Swiftpaw!" Minnowpaw wailed. Silvermist curled up around the apprentice's broken body; somehow, Swiftpaw seemed tiny in death.

"I'll kill her!" Minnowpaw howled. "I'll kill her! Where is she?" Minnowpaw spun around, her blue eyes burning as if hatred had kindled a flame within them. "I'll kill her!" she yelled again, before collapsing onto the ground, sobbing although she had no tears to shed.

Tigerstripe's heart ached, as he padded towards the broken family. He licked Swiftpaw's ear gently.

"Streamstar will pay for this," he said to Silvermist. "I swear it."

Silvermist simply looked at him with her sad blue eyes, before licking Swiftpaw's still body gently. Tigerstripe nuzzled Minnowpaw, and she moved back towards her sister's body, pressing her nose into it, as if trying to capture the last trace of warmth from it. Tigerstripe turned, his eyes searched for Streamstar's gray pelt. She would pay for this.


	73. Chapter 71: Gingerpaw's Last Act

**AN:**

**Lynxeye: Quit it, you're making me blush. xD**

**Rainstar: I hurrying D:**

**Cinderpaw: By all means. Streamstar-beat-up-plushies for everyone! She gets worse.**

71

Tigerstripe moved through the battlefield, stepping over the fallen, trying to spot Streamstar. It seemed the battle was near its end; it was up to two warriors versus each RiverClan warrior, now, and when Tigerstripe finally spotted Streamstar, she seemed to realize this. She was fighting a ginger she-cat – Tigerstripe couldn't see her face – on a high ridge, but when she saw him coming, Streamstar slashed the ginger cat, causing her to fall, and turned to face him.

"You'll pay for killing Swiftpaw," Tigerstripe spat. "How could you kill your own apprentice?"

"She was weak," Streamstar snarled, edging towards the fallen ginger cat, who was struggling to get onto her paws again.

"RiverClan is finished. You can't win against three cats. Give up. Almost all of your warriors had fled or deserted you," Tigerstripe said coldly.

Streamstar's gaze darted down to the battle, and the look in her eyes showed she realized the truth in his words. Her gaze moved quickly from the battle, to Tigerstripe, to the ginger cat, and a deranged grin spread over her face.

"Streamstar will not be taken!" Streamstar hissed, and lunged forward, grabbing the ginger cat by her scruff, and unsheathing her claws, ready to slice her throat. Tigerstripe's eyes widened with horror, as he realized it was Foxfire.

"Foxfire!" he said, and readied himself to spring.

"Do it and she dies," Streamstar snarled through a mouthful of Foxfire's fur. "Streamstar will not be taken!"

Her loud cry had seemed to almost pause the battle below, as heads began turning towards them. Streamstar began edging away.

"She's escaping!" A bloody Swiftstar howled, his eyes bright with hatred. "We must stop her!"

"No!" Brightstar yowled. "Streamstar will kill her! She is a ThunderClan warrior!"

Swiftstar almost seemed ready to lunge at Brightstar, but Darkstar's voice rang out as well.

"We cannot sacrifice one life for another," he growled, padding forward. "Streamstar, we will allow you to flee. But you can never return to RiverClan. It is no longer yours."

"Fools!" Streamstar snarled. "RiverClan can rot for all I care!" She began dragging Foxfire away. Foxfire struggled, but couldn't get away.

"Tigerstripe!" she yowled, but Streamstar hit the back of her head with a furious blow, and Foxfire went limp. Tigerstripe was frozen, as he watched Streamstar take the love of his life away. He couldn't go after her, she would die, but when Streamstar no longer needed her, she would kill her then too….

While Tigerstripe was frozen, Streamstar quickly disappeared from sight.

"Brightstar!" Tigerstripe howled atop the ridge. Brightstar looked up at him, into his pleading amber eyes. He felt as if his heart was being torn in two; he couldn't just let her go, but he had to, unless Brightstar let him try to rescue her, even though he might die as well.

Tigerstripe waited breathlessly; it seemed as if every cat was waiting. Then, Brightstar gave him a tiny, minute nod, and Tigerstripe turned, racing after Streamstar as quickly as he could.

He had to remain hidden; he couldn't let Streamstar see or scent him, or she would kill Foxfire without a second thought. He crept through the underbrush, following their scent, torn. He had to go after them, but Foxfire would be killed if he did. If he didn't, she might die anyway.

The roar of the falls pounded against his ears. He was confused for a moment – why was Streamstar heading there? – before he realized that she was planning on making her way across the broken bridge. There was scarcely a cat left in WindClan, no cat could stop her, and she would be going towards the barn. She could rest there in peace and be on her way without anyone being the wiser.

Tigerstripe gritted his teeth together, and then the realization hit him; if she was going to be in WindClan territory where no one could stop her, she wouldn't need Foxfire anymore.

Tigerstripe sprang forward, breaking through the undergrowth, finally halting with Streamstar and Foxfire in sight. Foxfire was laying dangerously close to the edge, still out cold, while Streamstar rested. They weren't quite at the falls yet, but they were close enough that if Foxfire was pushed over, she would more than likely die.

Tigerstripe tensed. He needed a plan, any sort of plan, anything to save Foxfire. _Tigerstar, _he thought. _If you're there…please, help me now. Help me to save her._

There was no reply, and he hadn't expected one, as he crouched in the undergrowth. _I'll have to run forward and tackle Streamstar off of the edge, _he realized. _It's the only way to end her tyranny and save Foxfire. I promised my mother I wouldn't die in battle, so I won't; the battle is over. And I promised Firestorm I'd take care of her…and I will._

He gritted his teeth and prepared to spring, his muscles coiling under his dark pelt.

"Wait, Tigerstripe," a voice hissed behind him. Tigerstripe turned, startled, and nearly dropped dead of a heart attack right then and there. It was Gingerpaw.

Upon further inspection, it was not the Gingerpaw he remembered; she was older now, less fat, with a steely glint to her golden eyes.

"You," Tigerstripe whispered, and then hatred boiled inside of him. "You!"

"Be quiet!" Gingerpaw hissed. "You'll disturb them, and it will be all over for my sister."

"Why do you care? You turned your back on ThunderClan!"

"I did…but that was many moons ago," Gingerpaw said, and she closed her eyes. "Foxpaw saved my life. ThunderClan would have killed me, and rightfully so; I should never have hurt my Clan. All over a stupid mouse…."

Tigerstripe blinked in confusion – a mouse? – but Gingerpaw continued speaking.

"When I fled, I had to leave the Clans entirely," she continued. "I did a lot of thinking those moons, in the Twoleg city…a lot of thinking. I realized…everything I had done was wrong…that I wouldn't be going to StarClan, thanks to the crimes I committed. And then I realized something else…I was _sorry. _Not for Cinderfur, but for her family, and for Whitepaw. I almost killed my best friend, the only cat that had ever stood by me…." She bowed her head. "I made terrible mistakes, Tigerpaw. But just when I thought I wanted to die, wanted everything to be over, a cat came into my dreams. He looked like you – I thought my might be your father at first – and he explained everything, told me of a grand plan that would make you the deputy of the Clan. I didn't care about that, but then he said that…if I did everything right…he would give me power, power enough that ThunderClan would have to let me back…power enough that I could be home again…." Her voice broke. "You have no idea, Tigerpaw, what it is like to be utterly alone and hopeless, and then be given a chance….

"So I did what he commanded. I disguised my scent and left a diseased mouse for WindClan to find, knowing they would blame ShadowClan. I rolled in WindClan scent markings to give myself WindClan scent, and attacked RiverClan and ShadowClan cats. I did other things too, terrible things, so RiverClan and ShadowClan would go to war with WindClan. The dream-cat wanted the Clans destroyed, and WindClan was weakest, so they had to go first…then RiverClan, the Clan that ShadowClan and ThunderClan both hated. Then ThunderClan, having only been in one war, would be strongest and destroy ShadowClan. He didn't expect Brightstar to declare war on RiverClan, thus destroying his plan. He was so angry, Tigerpaw…he did terrible things to me…." Gingerpaw shuddered. "And then I realized this could not be your father, Tigerpaw. He was not noble like you, or even honorable. His plan's madness suddenly became clear to me, and I turned my back on him. I knew ThunderClan would never take me back, no matter what I did. I didn't care. I had to save the forest from what I had done.

"WindClan and ShadowClan were supposed to fight each other at dawn today, Tigerpaw. But I managed to get there in time, just as they were lining up to fight each other. I explained everything. Swiftstar believed me immediately; he didn't want WindClan blamed for a war they didn't cause, and even if I was lying, WindClan would be cleared. Darkstar was harder to convince, but Blackheart won him over, out of concern for you, Tigerpaw. She was afraid you'd be killed….Batpaw too. So those Clans rallied and raced all the way to RiverClan to aid ThunderClan in the battle, to take down Streamstar once and for all. I thought my job was done, but I hung around to watch the battle, to make sure my sister was safe….She saved my life, after all. I wanted to attack Streamstar, but I couldn't risk exposing myself; ThunderClan would have killed me without a second thought."

"This is taking too long! Get to the point! Foxfire is about to die!" Tigerstripe hissed. "It's great that you know you were a monster, but there's no time for that now!"

"Wait, Tigerpaw," Gingerpaw ordered. "You don't quite understand yet. I know I'm irredeemable for what I did. But I have to save my sister, and repay my debt. There is one way to save her, and I am sure you already thought of it…but I can't let you do that."

"I'll fight you if I have to," Tigerstripe growled. Gingerpaw shook her head slowly.

"You don't understand, still, do you?" she asked. "Do you remember our first battle against RiverClan, all those moons ago? When you called out Foxpaw's name, thinking I was her, and saved my life? I told you I must repay my debt, Tigerpaw. And that means yours, too. I'm not going to let you die." She let out a quiet breath. "I'm going to kill Streamstar myself. We'll go over the cliff together, and you can get Foxfire to safety."

"I…." Tigerstripe trailed off, uncertain of what to say. It was as if the world had turned on its ear; Gingerpaw wasn't a monster after all, not completely.

Gingerpaw turned towards Streamstar. She was getting to her paws, bending to pick Foxfire up again.

"Now or never," Gingerpaw said calmly. "Tigerpaw…please, do two things for me. First, tell Foxfire about how I died…I want her to know I still…love her…." She closed her eyes. "Second…tell Whitepaw I'm sorry."

Tigerstripe opened his mouth, but it was too late; Gingerpaw had already sprang forward, and was charging towards Streamstar. Streamstar dropped Foxfire with surprise, leaving Foxfire's head hanging over the edge. Gingerpaw was like an orange blur as she ran into Streamstar. Streamstar let out a howl of pain, as she tumbled backwards, into the raging river. Gingerpaw said nothing, her claws digging into Streamstar, holding her down. Tigerstripe was frozen, as Streamstar's back leg caught Foxfire's back, giving her the momentum she needed to fall backwards. Tigerstripe watched in horror as the three she-cats plunged towards the dark river.

**AN: Cliff-hanger after cliff-hanger….**


	74. Chapter 72: Neither Hero nor Villain

**AN: Wow, lots of reviews.**

**Warriors06: I-I not evil. ;^;**

**Rubyblaze: I was thinking more along the lines of "sacrifice" than "suicide", but call it what you like.**

**Wolfstorm: I sorry! I got kicked off the compooter. D:**

**Cinderpaw: Don't twitch. :O**

**Ultraviolet: So you're more like "Ultraviolent" than "Ultraviolet", eh? xD Crap, didn't even think of the Swiftpaw thing. I sorry. At least Swiftstar is alive, eh? xD You're welcome on both accounts. ^_^**

**ZacktheCat: I'm trying. ;)**

**N/N: How ironic you spoke about Blackheart, before I even wrote this chapter….xD**

**Foxleap: You'll see! xD**

**Ally: Yup! I wanted Swiftpaw to redeem herself at least a little, and her death came as a bit of a surprise; I wasn't planning on it happening, exactly. And yup to Gingerpaw too; let's face it, I'm a sucker for bad-good guys. As for Streamstar…she is probably the only villain that hasn't redeemed herself. Creekstar was a good leader, but she was a bit young and inexperienced. And Streamstar/foot was a sly character, who didn't show her true colors until she was in power…like Brokenstar.**

**Chene: That's very kind of you! Thanks!**

72

_I promised I'd keep her safe, _Tigerstripe thought. Then, without hesitation, he raced forward, leaping into the river after her.

He saw a ginger head bob up briefly, before disappearing. Tigerstripe struggled forwards it, diving under the water for a moment to grasp it in his jaws. He let out a gasp as a boulder pounded into his side, but clutched the wet fur in his mouth tightly. Her dead weight was beginning to drag him down, but he fought flailing to keep their heads above water. Rock after rock slammed into them both; Tigerstripe tried to protect her as well as he could, but it was no use; he had to simply go with the current. Then, he felt rocks and mud sliding underneath his paws, and struggled, kicking harder now that the bank was in sight. Ahead of him was the battlefield; only the fallen remained. _ThunderClan gave up on us, _Tigerstripe thought dimly. _I won't give up. I won't! _

He began kicking harder, and slowly, inch by inch, he neared the shore. Finally, he felt stable ground underneath his paws and padded forward, dragging the ginger cat with him. He collapsed beside her, and then struggled to his paws, pumping her sides. She was still, and then suddenly her back arched as she opened her bright green eyes, coughing as water streamed from her nose and mouth. Then, she went limp again, but she was breathing. Tigerstripe let out a quiet sigh, and simply lay there until his fur was dry, lacking the strength to move. Finally, he got to his paws, when a still black shape caught his eye.

Blackheart.

She was lying beside a dead RiverClan warrior, her claws still at his throat. Blackheart wasn't moving, but her sides rose up and down shakily. She was lying in a pool of blood.

"Blackheart!" Tigerstripe cried, rushing to her side. "Blackheart! No!"

Blackheart opened one eye; it was not the bright amber eye he remembered, it was clouded with pain. "Tigerstripe," she rasped. "You don't…look so good…."

"Blackheart, just stay still! We'll get you out of here! You'll be just fine, Blackheart, understand? You'll be fine!"

Blackheart laughed quietly. "Go, Tigerstripe. Save your mate. It's too late for me here."

"It's not too late!" Tigerstripe exclaimed, and bent to pick up her scruff. She let out a low growl.

"I don't understand," Tigerstripe said feebly. "How could…Darkstar…."

"There are only so many injured cats that our warriors could carry," Blackheart said, and her eye closed. "Darkstar tried to take me…but one of our kits, Littlepaw, was injured badly….Darkstar had to choose between us. I told him he had to save Littlepaw, that our son had his entire life ahead of him…I was content with mine…by the time he returns, it will be too late." She opened her eye again, and smiled at him weakly. "It's okay, Tigerstripe. I can hear the voices of StarClan…welcoming me…I'll be home soon…." She trailed off, and it seemed she would say no more. Then, she said, "at least now I can tell your father I saved you…that we're even…the guilt is gone, Tigerstripe, I feel as if…as if I could fly…." She trailed off and gave a last rattling breath, before her eyes closed forever.

Tigerstripe bowed his head and pressed his nose into Blackheart's fur. _She died like a warrior, proudly, _he thought. _Accept her with honor, StarClan. She deserves it._

He headed back to Foxfire, only to stop dead as he caught sight of another ginger pelt floating just downstream. He glanced at Foxfire, and then padded down the bank cautiously. It was Gingerpaw, sure enough, and she was dead. It looked as if her skull had been crushed by one of the rocks; she was dead before she washed up down here.

He hesitated, and then sighed quietly; Gingerpaw hadn't wanted to be discovered, and he didn't have time to bury Blackheart's body, let alone hers. No one else would bury it, as she was considered an enemy to both ThunderClan and RiverClan now. Gently, he nosed her body back into the current. She soon floated out of sight. Tigerstripe closed his eyes, feeling confused, very confused. He had thought Gingerpaw was a monster, a villain, but in the end…she had died a hero.

_StarClan…I just don't know about Gingerpaw. You'll have to judge her for yourself. She did some very bad things, but by saving ThunderClan and Foxfire, she did some very good things too. Do what you want with her, I'm just not sure myself….I guess it isn't my place to judge…._

He sighed quietly and padded back to Foxfire. He picked up her scruff gently, and moved towards the stepping stones. It was slippery going, but he made it across without falling in. He hurried towards camp as quickly as he could.

ThunderClan camp looked almost like a broken shell; cats huddled together, speaking quietly, while the casualties were all laid out together, looking as if they were sleeping. Tigerstripe didn't have time to see who was dead and who was not; he needed to get Foxfire to safety.

"Tigerstripe!" Dapplefur exclaimed as he entered. "You're alive!"

"Foxfire? Is she alright?" Brightstar demanded, padding forward.

"She's alive, but she needs to be tended to immediately," Tigerstripe said, setting Foxfire down gently.

"Tigerstripe!" Batflight exclaimed, rushing forward. "You're alive!" The joy on his face at seeing his friend alive was obvious. "I'll tend to Foxfire immediately. I'll take her, don't worry; I'm sure she'll be fine."

Tigerstripe nodded, almost swaying on his feet with exhaustion as Batflight dragged Foxfire away. Finally, he was able to look around camp. He padded towards the bodies, and looked down on them, but felt no sorrow; it was as if all of the feelings he possessed had been used up by Swiftpaw, Blackheart, and the near loss of Foxfire.

Duskclaw was lying there, looking as noble in death as he had been in life. Firestorm was dead and unable to take care of his daughter, just as he had feared; if only he had known what Gingerpaw had done in the end. Fawndapple was dead, lying beside her mate, not knowing how near Foxfire had been to death. Patchpelt was dead as well, and nearby Badgerstripe and Blackstream were both huddled together, the only family they had left.

Tigerstripe bowed his head and licked each dead cat, before turning to Brightstar.

"Duskclaw's gone?" he asked, somehow unable to believe it. Duskclaw, Firestorm, Patchpelt, Fawndapple…so many cats that he had always taken as a given were gone now, and it felt like his world was crumbling.

"We'll choose a new deputy before moon-high," Brightstar said quietly. "The important thing is that the rest of us are alive. You saved Foxfire; that alone makes you a hero."

"I guess," Tigerstripe said. "But she shouldn't have been in trouble in the first place. I should have saved Swiftpaw. I should have been able to do something, to spare the Clan this pain…."

"That's my job," Brightstar said gently, "and I failed. The blame lies with me and Streamstar, not you or any other cat. There is still a bit of joy in today, though. Minnowpaw will become a warrior today."


	75. Chapter 73: The New Deputy

**AN:**

**Ouch, bit of a backlash over Blackheart, eh? Well, look at it this way: she died content, she died knowing she had paid her debt to Oakstripe by saving his son, she was freed from all guilt, and she died knowing Littlepaw would be cared for in her place. I believe she died with honor, which is exactly what she deserved.**

**LittleSpark: For now. :O**

**N/N: *points to above long sentence***

**Wolfstorm: Maybe he did. If she made it there. ;)**

**Ginnystar: Thanks. :D**

**Ally: Her body is never found, but I'm sure she is. We'll see about Batty.**

**Cinderpaw: I sorry. ;^;**

**Rhavis: Yups. Well, it was RiverClan and a band of dangerous rogues with (as far as we know) no morals about killing and the like.**

**Rlapp: Maybe someday. xD**

**Swburnordie: It's okay, I'm glad you enjoy it! Yum, oreos…I live on those.**

**Heatherflower: Careful you don't bury yourself under all those plushies. xD**

**Ultraviolet: Thanks, I was aiming for that sort of feeling. 3**

**Now this chapter (and maybe the next, depending on how things progress) will be light, kinda. Then I get to crush you with the (final) few chapters! Yay, soul-crushing.**

73

Minnowpaw, a warrior? The thought had completely slipped his mind, amidst all of the death and pain his Clan had suffered.

Brightstar ascended the HighRock. "Today, we have lost many cats," she began, and bowed her head. "We will mourn them all for many moons to come. However, there is a bit of light in the darkness; Tigerstripe has managed to save the life of our fellow Clanmate, Foxfire, and we honor him for this. He also brings word that Streamstar is quite possibly dead, and even if she is not, no Clan will take her in now.

"Even with all of the turmoil in our lives, some constants remain; kits become apprentices, apprentices become warriors, and warriors eventually ascend to StarClan. It is one of these constants that I would like to address now. Minnowpaw, would you come up here please?"

Minnowpaw's eyes widened, but she seemed anything but happy. She padded towards the HighRock.

"I wish…I wish Swiftpaw could be here with me," she said quietly.

"Swiftpaw died making the right choice," Brightstar said gently. "She lives in StarClan now, and will always be in your heart."

Minnowpaw nodded slowly, and Brightstar turned to Tigerstripe.

"Tigerstripe, do you believe that Minnowpaw has trained hard these last few moons?"

Tigerstripe nodded quickly. He wanted to be here for Minnowpaw, but at the same time, he wanted to be by Foxfire's side to make sure she was okay, that she would make it out alright. He wanted to tell her of Gingerpaw's sacrifice and love for her sister.

"I, Brightstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon StarClan to look down on this young apprentice. She has worked hard to learn your noble code, and has lost almost everything but her faith in you. Minnowpaw, do you promise to work for and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Minnowpaw said quietly.

"Then, with the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forward, you will be known as Minnowleap, for your swiftness and for your faith, which I believe will send you to StarClan one day, with your loved ones."

Minnowleap reached up to lick Brightstar's shoulder, and the Clan began chanting her name. Tigerstripe got to his paws, and began moving towards Batflight's den.

"There is one more ceremony to conduct today!" Brightstar announced, her voice ringing out. "As you all know, Duskclaw, our deputy for many moons, has passed away. We mourn him, but we must focus on the living, and StarClan dictates that a new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh. Tigerstripe, come up here."

Tigerstripe's eyes widened, and he turned, his mouth dropping open with surprise. He felt a nudge, and found his mother smiling at him, her eyes shining with joy.

"Go on," she whispered. Tigerstripe hesitated, and then padded forward, feeling the eyes of ThunderClan watching him.

"Tigerstripe, you have proven yourself to be a true warrior of ThunderClan," Brightstar said, looking down on him. "You helped us create an alliance with ShadowClan, saved WindClan from their sickness, aided Silvermist in making peace, raised Minnowleap into a fine warrior, cleared WindClan's name, and finally saved Foxfire. I have chosen you to be deputy of our Clan." She raised her muzzle towards the sky. "I say these words before the body of Duskclaw, so that his spirit may hear and approve of my choice. Tigerstripe will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

There was a roar of approval behind him, Tigerstripe could hear it despite the blood pounding in his ears. Dimly, he heard Tigerstar's voice yowled with success, felt a burning pride at seeing his ambition realized. But, was it his ambition? Or Tigerstar's?

He turned, and saw the Clan was waiting for a speech of some kind.

"I don't deserve this," he said thickly. "Most of those things…I had help with. But Brightstar, if you have chosen me, I will do everything that I can for ThunderClan. I promise."

It seemed to be the right thing to say, for Brightstar smiled and then sprang down to stand beside him.

"StarClan told me once that you had a great destiny, Tigerstripe," she whispered. "I know who you are, who you were. StarClan told me you had a choice to make. I think you've made it; the right choice."

Tigerstripe smiled, and found himself glowing with actual pride, _his _pride, not anyone else's. He nodded to her, and then padded towards the medicine cats. ThunderClan moved to get out of his way, acknowledging his new authority. He was nearly at the entrance, when suddenly every muscle seemed to seize up. He froze, and opened his mouth to shout for help, but he couldn't. Everything was going dim, and the last thing he saw before blacking out was the ground rushing up to meet him.


	76. Chapter 74: The Final Life

**AN: You know what I just realized? If Swift and Minnow had stayed in ThunderClan, Swift would prolly have become the medicine cat (she has the temperament for it, and as she grew up she'd be more fine with being different from Minnow) and Batpaw would have left, meaning no BatxWhite. Not only that, but ShadowClan would have had less reason to aid Thunder against River, and the war would have some even sooner. 0.o**

**Cinderpaw: I sorry. Had to get off for the night. D:**

**Ultraviolet: Aww, had a rough day? I sorry *hugs***

**Rhavis: Yeppers, he's out cold.**

**Ally: xD Confusing, isn't it? Think of Tigerstar and Tigerstripe as being two different pieces of a larger cat; they are still separate for right now, since the ritual isn't complete.**

**N/N: Pfft, I wouldn't say heartless. Maybe cold-hearted, but it isn't the same thing…xD**

**Icestar: Of course not! That would be a silly ending, with him passing out, eh? xD**

**Pidgeonfeather: Thank you! I'm writing as quickly as I can. This chapter's gonna be a doozy.**

**Wolfstorm: *tosses Oreos***

**Heatherflower: Your closet is gonna asplode. I think we've got two more chapters left, plus the epilogue. Dear God, so close… D: Then I begin work on the prequel…after that, I think something special about Snowkit, and then the Silverstreak story. Then I might work on a story about a group of rogues, or I might switch gears and work on a Lion King fic I've been planning, or a Pokemon one. I'm diverse. xD**

**Rubyblaze: Wild Cliffhanger appears!**

**Warriors06: Cool! I hope you do well!**

**God, these ANs are getting huge. They're like half of my 1k-per-chapter goal before anything even HAPPENS. xD**

74

_Tigerstripe was suddenly in the Dark Forest, with Tigerstar standing in front of him._

"_We have done it!" Tigerstar crowed. "We have done it! You are the deputy of ThunderClan! When Brightstar dies, you will become leader…and gain nine lives then…think of it, Tigerstripe. You will live for generations! We will be immortal!" His eyes were burning with a strange flame, and Tigerstripe found himself afraid._

A dark cat,_ he remembered Gingerpaw saying. _At first I thought he was your father….Terrible things….

_Tigerstripe's eyes narrowed as he realized something. "It was you!" he exclaimed._

_Tigerstar paused for a moment. "Me?"_

"_You were the one who manipulated Gingerpaw! You lied t her!" Tigerstripe growled._

_Tigerstar simply nodded, coolly, his face betraying no remorse for his actions._

"_RiverClan and ShadowClan cats were killed by her!" Tigerstripe hissed. "You nearly caused a war that would destroy the entire forest!"_

"_Not the entire forest," Tigerstar said softly. "ThunderClan, although battered and bruised, would stand victorious. You, Tigerstripe, would shine with my guidance during battle, and earn your place as deputy. Gingerpaw made a mistake trusting me, but she made another when my plan fell through. I had to punish her, Tigerstripe; it was the only way to make sure everything turned out as planned. Imagine how pleased I was, when you became deputy after all! I am pleased, Tigerstripe, very pleased. With this last life, you will have eight lives, and soon you will gain nine more. We will rule the forest forever."_

"_We?" Tigerstripe asked. "What 'we'? You are supposed to disappear, Tigerstar. You aren't supposed to exist after this is over…right?" He suddenly felt uncertain, and realized something else; Tigerstar's influence over him in life was enormous. Tigerstar controlled his actions during battle, controlled how he felt towards certain cats, and now he controlled Tigerstripe's very mind, causing him to sleep almost instantly. Tigerstar said nothing, but his eyes shone with an eerie light._

"_There isn't much time, Tigerstripe," he said, taking a step forward. "Take this life from me, and everything will become clear to you. I promise."_

_Tigerstripe hesitated. As Tigerstar drew nearer, Tigerstripe could see something in his eyes, cats, Brambleclaw and Firestar and Ravenpaw, Goldenflower and Scourge and Hawkfrost, Lionheart…and some other cat, a little silver kit that Tigerstripe did not remember._

_Tigerstripe hesitated. "I-I'm not sure," he stammered. "This suddenly seems…strange….I don't trust you." His eyes narrowed._

"_You don't trust yourself?" Tigerstar asked. "That's weakness, Tigerstripe. Not advisable in a new deputy." A smile twisted his muzzle, and suddenly Tigerstripe could see the cruelty in it. It was as if a veil had been lifted from Tigerstripe's eyes; suddenly he understood his memories, fractured as they were. He understood his hatred for Firestar, Scourge's hatred of him, his own sons' twisted paths….It was clear._

_Tigerstar was evil._

_Tigerstripe took a step backwards, his ears flat. "Let me go, Tigerstar," he growled. "I don't want to go through with this. I want nothing more to do with you."_

_Tigerstar took a step forward, then another. "You don't mean that."_

_Tigerstripe hesitated unable to declare his feelings for Tigerstar completely. One part of him wanted to disagree, to protest that Tigerstar was a good cat, that everything he had done would be revealed with the last life. But the rest of Tigerstripe wanted nothing more to do with his former life; he wanted to renounce it, to leave it behind forever, to let it fade into the past._

"_You can't escape me, even when you're awake," Tigerstar said, his voice turning into a low hiss. "I control you, Tigerstripe. I don't have total control yet…but I have enough…your willpower is too weak. You can run, but when you wake up, I'll put you to sleep again, and we'll be right back here again…." He smiled, but it was a cold smile, devoid of compassion. "I need control again, Tigerstripe. I need my own body back. My time here is ending, I can feel it…there's not much time for me left here. I'm beginning to fade, and I can't have that. I need to live again, to guide your paws, to carve out so much power for myself that I can never die. I know the secret to immortality, Tigerstripe…just trust me…."_

"_No," Tigerstripe hissed. "I'll get control of myself back, Tigerstar. I don't need you anymore!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the forest._

"_You will take this life!" Tigerstar snarled, springing forward, tackling Tigerstripe to the ground. Somehow, Tigerstripe knew Tigerstar couldn't touch his nose…it would be all over then, he would no longer be Tigerstripe, but Tigerstar…Tigerstar would control him, he couldn't let that happen, he couldn't' leave Foxfire alone…._

_The thought of Foxfire kindled a glow in his heart, and he felt new strength enter his body. He kicked Tigerstar off of him, and then turned, racing into the forest._

"_No!" Tigerstar howled, and somehow as Tigerstripe ran, he felt his power leaving him…out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tigerstar's replica, the one containing his memories of Scourge, peeling away and melting into the darkness…the strength Scourge had given him was gone, but the memories remained, pushing him onwards._

"_No!" he heard Tigerstar yowl again. Goldenflower peeled away, then Hawkfrost, then Lionheart…Ravenpaw, Firestar, then Brambleclaw…each step he took, he felt more weary, more empty, as the lives disappeared into the darkness, their memories remaining…the forest was beginning to fade behind him, and he could hear Tigerstar's anguished howl, but it was too late…the forest was gone….Tigerstripe had made it…._

**AN: The silver kit in Tigerstar's eyes will become clear in the prequel. Most of what Tigerstar is saying will be explained too. ;)**


	77. Chapter 75: Finale

**AN: Dear God. This is the last chapter of this incredibly long story…yikes. I'm feeling kind of tingly. 0.o**

**Anyways, I'm writing the epilogue now as well, so these two will be a double package. Hopefully it will help you guys feel better…you'll see what I mean.**

**Cinderpaw: Indeed.**

**GinnyStar: Thanks. :D**

**Warriors06: I know! So sad…I've got four future Warriors fics planned, though, plus a LK one and a Pokemon one, so I'm not going anywhere! xD**

**Lynxeye: Thanks a lot. :D**

**Hhh: This is the last one. We'll see.**

**Ally: Yup, he's weak now. And that's exactly it, good job!**

**Ultraviolet: I actually paused a moment, and thought to myself, "Will they think…nah!" and kept writing. xD**

**Rhavis: They're terrible, I know. But I keep getting pulled away from the computer right after I upload chapters! I was reading reviews for 74 when my boyfriend called. Sorry! ILY! *showers with love***

**Heatherflower: Nah, I don't do crossovers. I'd have no idea what to do with those! Although, my Poke-fic will have plenty of legendaries, I assure you. Me luffs 'em. And thank you!**

**Snakefang: Really? Which book does it say that in? I haven't read Code of the Clans, but someone told me medicine cats actually aren't mentioned in there. *shrugs* Either way, it is a bit of a silly rule, and leads to more heartbreak and distractions that it prevents, you know?**

75

Tigerstripe awoke to a stinging pain in his muzzle. He blinked, his vision blurry for a moment, before Batflight's face came into focus.

"You're awake," Batflight whispered. "I'm sorry I scratched you there, Tigerstripe, but nothing was working, and you need to be awake…."

Tigerstripe blinked slowly. "What…?" He said, struggling to get to his paws, nearly falling again. He had never felt this weary, this empty before. Seven lives had been stripped away…just like that….

He looked around slowly. Whitefeather was asleep, covered in cobwebs, and Creekpaw was there too. They looked as if they would recover, though, it didn't seem as if there was a lot of blood…Lionstorm's scent hung around the area; he had probably been watching Whitefeather to make sure she was okay.

Then, Tigerstripe's gaze fell upon Foxfire, and he let out a quiet gasp. He hadn't examined her, truly, after they had pulled out of the water together, but now she looked awful. Her fur was matted with blood, one leg was twisted slightly, possibly broken. Her sides were rising slowly, barely moving at all.

Tigerstripe let out a gasp, and staggered to his feet. "Why aren't you helping her?" he snarled.

"There's nothing I can do for her, Tigerstripe," Batflight said quietly. "She was awake while you were being named deputy…wanted to see you…but then she blacked out again, and hasn't come back since. I don't think she's going to wake up again, Tigerstripe. I'm sorry, I know you tried your hardest, but…she's going to StarClan, and soon. I thought you'd want to be here when she did…I tried waking you up, but nothing was working. I'm sorry if I hurt you." He nodded towards Foxfire's still body. "Best hurry. She doesn't have long."

Tigerstripe stumbled towards Foxfire's body, pressing his nose into her matted fur. It couldn't end, not like this…not after Gingerpaw sacrificed herself for her sister, for ThunderClan…not after Tigerstripe had made his choice, the one Foxfire had wanted him to make…he had made it for her, for their life together.

He heard Batflight's soft pawsteps leaving them together. Whitefeather and Creekpaw were thankfully asleep, and silent. He buried his face into his beloved's fur, and closed his eyes, drinking in what remained of her scent.

"StarClan," he whispered. "StarClan, or whoever else is out there….Please don't take her away from me. Please, please, please…no…." He closed his eyes. "I did the right thing. I made the right choice. I did it for her! I made it for her! You can't take her away from me now, no, no…you can't take her now. You can't have her!" His voice was rising as he spoke. "I'm not letting her go! She isn't going to die! I will not live without her!"

Maybe StarClan was listening to him at that moment. Maybe, somewhere in the Dark Forest, Tigerstar felt a shred of pity or remorse. Or maybe, some third party up there in the sky felt that Tigerstripe had made the right choice, and the final choice.

Tigerstripe let out a gasp, as suddenly he felt the air rush from his lungs. He could feel something within him, something changing, something…happening, something that was unnatural, but something that he knew had to happen. He suddenly felt very weak, and slumped forward, his cheek landing on Foxfire's shoulder. He let out a shuddering breath, feeling the very _life _within him begin to move, begin to leave his body, like a stream overflowing its banks, flowing into Foxfire.

_Is this what dying feels like? _He wondered. Underneath his cheek, he felt Foxfire's body suddenly grow warmer – or maybe he was growing cooler by comparison.

"Tigerstripe?" Batflight asked hesitantly. "Are you alright?" He peeked into the den, and his eyes widened. "Tigerstripe, no!" Batflight exclaimed rushing forward. "No, Tigerstripe! Stay with me! Don't close your eyes!"

"Batflight," Tigerstripe whispered. Already, his mind was growing dim. The life was trickling out of him now, instead of flowing; there wasn't much more he had in him. "Batflight, you have to tell…tell Whitefeather that Gingerpaw said she was sorry….Tell Foxfire I'll wait for her…." And with those final words, his eyes closed, forever.

_He felt as if he was floating, floating down a long tunnel. He couldn't see the end, but that didn't matter; he was safe, he felt that. Dimly, he could hear his heartbeat slowing…slowing, until finally it stopped completely. He was simply floating, and began wondering where he was going. It was a bit puzzling, as if something was pulling him forward. There was suddenly a glow in his chest, a strange feeling of love, and then_

_Light._

_He could hear a voice, coming just above him, towards the light,_

"_Well done, son."_

**AN: Funny how similar dying is to being born, eh? (If you're confused, take a glance at the Prologue again.)**


	78. Epilogue

**AN: I'm writing this right after 75, so I won't be answering any questions/reviews for the last chapter or this one. Sorry!**

**We're at the end of our journey together, now. The end is just in sight; the light at the end of the tunnel. Before we begin this final piece (which I hope will take away the bittersweetness of the end, and protect me from your wrath) I'd like to thank you all very very much for reviewing. You've all been very kind, and I'm glad to know (or at least have read about) you. Thanks for your continued support!**

Epilogue

Foxfire yawned, and blinked slowly, stretching slightly. She glanced around the little den, and a gentle smile curled her muzzle, a smile tinged with sorrow. It had been six moons since her mate had passed away, and every day waking up without him seemed to carve a fresh wound into her heart.

Batflight had been depressed about losing Tigerstripe, but the fact that Foxfire had beat the odds heartened him. Brightstar had declared Foxfire's surviving a "miracle", although Foxfire knew it wasn't the case.

She knew Tigerstripe had died for her.

She had felt it; she had been floating somewhere, somewhere between life and death, dimly aware of dim voices on both sides. She had scented him, had heard the rumble of his voice in her ear, although his words made no sense. Then, she felt his noble, courageous spirit fill her, complete her, give her the strength she needed to survive even as he lost his. She had woken up only moments after his body had gone cold, had seen Batflight bent over Tigerstripe's body with his nose pressed into the dark tabby's fur.

The Clan had been hit hard by Tigerstripe's death; without a doubt, his was the shortest deputyship ThunderClan, or maybe any of the Clans, had ever seen. It was Snowflight who had been chosen for the next deputy, and he still held the position, although it looked like he might retire in favor of another cat, Lionstorm, to be precise, once Lionstorm mentored an apprentice. Lionstorm was once again the "golden boy" of the Clan, although Foxfire wondered if Lionstorm would give up his status to have his rival back.

Dapplefur had gone into mourning for nearly two moons after Tigerstripe had died. However, after his kits were born, new life seemed to have flowed into the old dappled cat.

Foxfire smiled slightly as she gazed down at her stomach, where two kits were nestled. It was cruel that Tigerstripe had died not knowing he had fathered kits; indeed, the signs only showed up several days after his death. She wished he could have known that he had not only died for her, but two of the most beautiful kits ever born.

One kit was a brown tabby tom, nearly identical to his father, if it wasn't for his bright green eyes and white paws. The other kit was the opposite; she had inherited her mother's ginger fur, but her father's amber eyes.

Naming the kits had been a challenge. Foxfire had desperately wanted to name the tabby tom Tigerkit, after his father, but she couldn't help but remember that she would not only be naming him after his noble father, but a much darker, sinister cat as well. She had named him Dusk-kit instead, named after the deputy before his father.

The other kit had been harder to name; her appearance reminded Foxfire strongly of Gingerpaw, but her temperament was anything but. The female kit had a spitfire attitude like her mother, and Foxfire named her accordingly; Firekit, after Foxfire's father.

Foxfire glanced to her side, to the sleeping Whitefeather. Whitefeather's kits were born a moon after Foxfire's, and although Whitefeather wouldn't say who the father was, it was clear from their black pelts who their father was.

Foxfire yawned slowly. Whitefeather had also had two kits; Black-kit and Swiftkit. Swiftkit was black with white paws and a white chest; Black-kit on the other hand resembled her father, with her black pelt and one white paw. Swiftkit was a quiet kit, usually asleep, but Black-kit, much like her namesake, Blackheart, was cheerful and playful, always looking for a scrap. Her amber eyes twinkling were always a sure sign of adventure, and she and Firekit had become close friends.

Foxfire sighed quietly, and closed her eyes. Creekfur would probably enter the nursery soon, and it was no secret who the father was; Lionstorm. Most cats had thought that Lionstorm was always hanging around the medicine den after the battle out of concern for Whitefeather, but even when Whitefeather made a full recovery, he still haunted the den. It was found that he had actually become fond of little Creekpaw, now Creekfur, and moons later the two of them had become mates.

Foxfire shook her head slowly, remembering the battle, quite possibly one of the bloodiest battles in recent history. Streamstar had never re-appeared, and thanks to Tigerstripe's death, no one knew if she would ever return. It was later found that Nightpool had also died during the battle, plunging RiverClan into turmoil. It was Silvermist that later returned to RiverClan; she was Silverstar now. As the younger sister of Creekstar and a favorite among RiverClan before her exile, she had been the best choice for a shattered and confused RiverClan. Her three kits had remained in ThunderClan, where they belonged, but with their mother leading ThunderClan, there was no chance of a battle between the two Clans.

ShadowClan of course had to find a new deputy; it had been announced at the next Gathering that a cat named Hailstorm was to take Blackheart's place. Littlepaw had made a full recovery, and was indeed named a warrior, Littletail, a couple moons later.

As for WindClan, they were strong again, recovering from their many losses. Finchpaw – or Finchwing, as he was now called – was quite the competent medicine cat, thanks to a few tips from Batflight. All of the four Clans were happy and stable again, and times were peaceful; no cat wanted another terrible war like the last.

Foxfire closed her eyes. Life in ThunderClan had continued, as it always would. Sometimes it felt like she was the only one left behind, clinging to Tigerstripe's memory. Sometimes, she missed him…she wished she could have spoken to him one last time, to tell him how much he meant to her, and to tell him how much she missed him…and maybe to know what truly happened when Streamstar kidnapped her.

As usual, these thoughts buzzed around Foxfire's mind as her eyes dropped closed, her head resting on her paws.

_She was padding through a beautiful forest. Birds sung above her, flitting around from branch to branch. Foxfire felt strangely peaceful, a slight smile curling her muzzle. It seemed vaguely familiar here, although she couldn't quite place it._

_A familiar scent reached her nose, and she turned suddenly. She saw his warm smile, and heard the voice she had always treasured,_

"_I miss you, Foxstar."_

**AN: She isn't dead; Spottedleaf visited Firestar in his dreams, didn't he? And didn't Tigerstripe promise that he would someday tell Foxfire about how Gingerpaw had died?**

**So yes, it's all over now. Next, I move on to the prequel; give me a few days though, there are some ideas I need to cement first, about how the Dark Forest works.**

**So…er…do I need to say it?**

**Fine.**

**THE END.**


	79. Final AN

**AN:**

**Couldn't resist this: the final AN.**

**Some of you guys hate me for the ending, and I'm sorry. But this way, Tigerstripe completely redeemed himself. StarClan might not have considered him totally redeemed, even though he made the right choice by refusing Tigerstar; by sacrificing himself for Foxfire and his kits, he proved that he was not Tigerstar, and that he had become a different cat entirely, thereby securing himself a place in StarClan. I had to think long and hard about the ending, but I think I made the right choice.**

**I didn't want TR to end on simply a sour note, so I expanded the Epilogue; originally, there wasn't going to be one at all. This way you all saw a glimpse of the future, a sign that things returned to normal for all four Clans, and that through his actions, Tigerstripe had helped save the forest. **

**Swiftpaw, Blackheart, and the other goodies that died all made it to StarClan; I was going to have them welcome Tigerstripe "home" to StarClan, but I thought it would be more powerful if it was his father that did, the cat that he had always wanted to see and know.**

**I wanted to give you guys a huge thank you, for standing by me the last month (month and a half, almost?). Coming home to your reviews and love always made my day. 3 This story was a huge experiment for me, as it was the first fanfic I ever actually intended to complete, and the first one that I used canon characters. Apparently I did something right, according to the number of reviews: IT'S OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAND~**

**It was also an experiment because I've never killed off characters before, honestly. Even in role-play I would hang on to them, building up a mass of characters. This time though, I had to let some of them go, although rest assured they all (or almost all) made it to StarClan in the end. **

**Now, to reply for the final time to my lovely reviewers:**

**Cinderpaw, I'm sorry I made your head explode. Even though this story is over, there's more to come, I promise! Not about Unke Tiggystwipe, but other cats. I think you'll love them too. **

**Rhavis, I'm sorry I made you cry, but Tigerstripe is dead, yes, but he's still **_**there.**_** He didn't disappear, he still exists, and he'll be waiting for Foxfire so they can be together in StarClan forever. Who could ask for anything greater than an eternity of love?**

**Ultraviolet, I'm going to point up to what I said to Rhavis. ;)**

**Ally, I'm glad you appreciated the ending. And of course I had to use Dusk-kit, you were my first big fan. Love ya~**

**N/N, Blackheart, eh? Sounds interesting. I could do that some time in the future, but I've got four warriors fics, plus a LK, plus a Poke fic planned. Fics are pouring out of my ears…but I'll think on it. ;)**

**Warriors06, I can actually see myself doing that. If it is any consolation, I'll keep writing in general until I'm that age. ;)**

**Foxleap, you summed it up beautifully. Thank you.**

**Now, there are a few details that never got cleared up, and if you want to debate them or something, feel free:**

**Did Gingerpaw make it to StarClan? Was it Tigerstar that helped Tigerstripe to save Foxfire, thereby redeeming himself in the Dark Forest a bit? Or did StarClan help? And is Streamstar dead, or lurking out there somewhere…?**


End file.
